Jill Mitten
Lecturer of Communication Studies

Jill Mitten is an alumna of Longwood and has been teaching in higher education for 26 years. She joined the university as a faculty member in the Department of Communication Studies, where she teaches a variety of courses contributing to the digital media and public relations concentrations, the major, and the Civitae Core Curriculum, including Public Speaking, the first-year experience course Inquiry into Citizenship, Introduction to Media Writing, Media and Society, Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, Contemporary Issues in Communication: Election Year Rhetoric, and Media Criticism.

A highlight of her work in the department includes the successful attainment of the 2021 Advancing the Discipline Grant from the National Communication Association. Mitten collaborated with two of her colleagues and student interns to produce Speech Lab, an online, open access video resource in the form of a YouTube channel and website, which serves to equip students with the speaking skills necessary to become citizen leaders and to equip faculty with the tools to help students reach their greatest speaking potential. In addition to her role in Speech Lab, Mitten serves the university as a Speaking Fellow by providing pedagogical support for faculty in other disciplines who are teaching and evaluating speaking and is constantly active in the Center for Faculty Enrichment.

Her research interests include media studies, social media, PR, popular culture, visual media, the tradition of rhetoric, persuasion and strategic communication, interpersonal and small group communication, and the roles that journalists and public relations specialists play in affecting (by either reporting on or creating and managing) an organization’s or an individual’s reputation and image through social media and other traditional media. In addition, she enjoys teaching communication skills and professional and strategic communication.  Mitten’s favorite part of her career has been helping students find their voices as productive citizen leaders by becoming comfortable and confident communicators.

Prior to coming to Longwood, Mitten taught at Richard Bland College of William & Mary as a tenured Associate Professor of Communication, English, and Theatre. In addition, she served in various faculty leadership roles at the college, including Chair of the Department of Language and Humanities, Chair of the Faculty Senate, Co-Chair of the Shared Governance Task Force, and Faculty Representative to the William & Mary Board of Visitors.

Mitten possesses a PhD in Communication with a specialization in Journalism from Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. She also has a Master of Arts degree in English: Writing and Rhetoric from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Master of Arts degree in Theatre History and Criticism from Ohio University, a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Theatre from Longwood University, and an Associate of Science degree from Richard Bland College of William & Mary. She is currently pursuing a Graduate Certificate in Public and Media Relations from Northeastern University with an emphasis on social media marketing and management.