Job Description

Title: Assistant or Associate Professor- Sports Communication and Media
Employee Classification: Asst Professor
Division Name: Academic Affairs
College/Unit: College of Arts and Sciences
Department: School of Communication
Campus Location: Normal, IL

Job Summary

The School of Communication, part of the College of Arts and Sciences at Illinois State University in Normal, IL (https://illinoisstate.edu/), invites applications for a nine-month tenure-track Assistant or Associate Professor position specializing in Sports Communication and Media. We seek a teacher-scholar whose teaching and research and/or creative work focus on sports communication and media. Successful candidates are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in sports communication and/or media; maintain an active and impactful agenda of peer-reviewed research and/or creative work; advise and mentor graduate students; contribute to curriculum development; and build connections with community and industry partners while engaging in service to the school, college, and university.

A comprehensive benefits package is included.

University Benefit Highlights:
• Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
• Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
• Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
• Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
• Paid benefit time

Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will join a dynamic academic unit offering five undergraduate majors - Communication Studies, Journalism, Mass Media, Public Relations, and Sports Communication - along with a master's program in Communication. The School has a rich tradition in sports media, sustained by a network of student-run outlets. ISU's student-operated, faculty-advised radio station, 103.3 WZND, trains 130 student interns each semester, is the only station to have won the Broadcast Education Association's Signature Station Award four times and was named College Broadcasters Inc.'s inaugural Radio Station of the Year in 2025. TV-10, ISU's curriculum-based video production and television news laboratory, gives more than 80 students each semester hands-on experience in video journalism and storytelling, producing Bloomington-Normal's only live daily television newscast along with weekly sports and community shows. This year TV-10's SportsZone earned first-place honors from the Illinois News Broadcasters Association and is a finalist for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences' Chicago/Midwest division. The Vidette, the university's original student newspaper, now operates as a sponsored student organization whose sports team covers every home contest of ISU's NCAA Division I athletics and travels to postseason contests, including the 2026 FCS National Championship game.

This experiential foundation is reinforced by coursework such as COM 342: Gameday Communication and Operations and COM 343: Friday Night Lights, which lead to internships and professional connections. Situated within a triangle of three local TV markets, our students benefit from close proximity to real-world broadcast opportunities. Sports Communication is the fastest-growing major in the College of Arts and Sciences, and our alumni hold positions in front offices of major sports organizations nationwide. The School values both traditional scholarship and peer-reviewed creative work, and our faculty have earned recognition through the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) and state broadcast associations.

Founded in 1857 as Illinois' first public university, Illinois State University, IllinoisState.edu, is one of only 27 institutions nationwide to earn both Research 2 (R2) and Opportunity Colleges and Universities (OCU) designations by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which recognizes campuses that foster student success and research. We enroll approximately 21,000 students in six colleges. Our new strategic plan, Excellence by Design: 2024-2029, lists our seven core values: Excellence in Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship; Individualized Attention; Equity, Diversity, Access, and Belonging; Collaboration; Community and Civic Engagement; Respect; and Integrity. By acting on these values, we create a learning environment that results in our university being the first-choice public university in Illinois for high-achieving, motivated students who seek an individualized educational experience combined with the resources of a large university. Learn more about Illinois State's Metrics of Excellence at IllinoisState.edu/PointsofPride.

Bloomington-Normal: Illinois State University is located in the growing twin cities of Bloomington and Normal, with a metro population of approximately 172,000. The community is also home to Illinois Wesleyan University, Heartland Community College, St. Joseph Medical Center, Carle BroMenn Medical Center, COUNTRY Financial, State Farm Insurance's International Headquarters, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and electric truck manufacturer Rivian Motors. The community has distinguished itself for its outstanding school systems, and its citizens' high level of educational attainment, as well as its parks and recreation, health care, vibrant fine arts scene, job growth, economic opportunity, historic sites, and low crime rates. Bloomington made Livability's top 100 Best Places to Live (2024) and ranked No. 3 on College Values Online's list of Best Small College Towns in America (2024). Bloomington-Normal is conveniently located about three hours from Indianapolis; two hours from both Chicago and St. Louis; and an hour from Peoria, Champaign-Urbana, Decatur, and Springfield. Many of these locations are accessible from Bloomington-Normal via Amtrak, which is located one block from Illinois State's campus. For more information on our community, visit visitbn.org.

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

Salary ranges from $72,828 to $78,000 for Assistant Professor and $83,232 to $86,000 for Associate Professor, commensurate with qualifications and experience

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. (or equivalent) in Communication, Mass Communication, Sports Media, Media/Media Studies, Journalism, Film Studies, or a closely related field (ABD considered with completion by August 16, 2028)
• An emerging or established record of peer-reviewed research and/or creativity activities relevant to the sports communication and/or media field
• State law mandates that candidates demonstrate oral proficiency in the English language for this position.

Work Hours

Varies

Proposed Starting Date

August 16, 2027

Required Applicant Documents

Please submit the following as PDF documents: 

• Detailed letter of application indicating fit for the position and concise philosophies about teaching, peer-reviewed research and/or creative work, and, if applicable, professional experience in sports and media
• Curriculum vitae
• Evidence of teaching effectiveness (syllabi, evaluations, etc.)
• A statement of research and/or creative works
• Contact information for three references

Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"

Special Instructions for Applicants

Review of applications will begin on November 1, 2026 and continue until the position is filled.

All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois. Illinois State University does not authorize out-of-state work.   

Contact Information for Applicants

Questions about the search should be directed to search committee co-chair and director of the School of Communication, Dr. Aimee Miller-Ott, at aeott@ilstu.edu

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.