Celia Wall

Dr. Celia Wall, associate professor in the Murray State University department of journalism and mass communications, has been named the 2006 Distinguished Professor. Jim Carter, MSU vice president of institutional advancement and executive director of the alumni association, presented the award to Wall in a classroom attended by her advanced public relations students.

Wall received a Golden Apple and framed certificate. She will also receive $1,000 cash award on April 27 at a faculty recognition dinner in the Curris Center and will lead the faculty processionals at spring and winter Commencement ceremonies.

Wesley Deer, a junior public relations major, will receive a $1,000 scholarship in Wall’s honor. Deer is the son of Bruce and Kathy Deer of Evansville, Ind.

Implemented in 1964 by the MSU Alumni Association, the Distinguished Professor Award has been bestowed on 41 other faculty members including last year’s honoree, Dr. Steve Cobb, chairman of the engineering and physics department.

Each year, the alumni association solicits nominations from select students across campus. A committee which includes former award recipients then reviews the nominations and selects the recipient.

Student nominations describe Wall as an “extremely gifted professor,” and one who “assists students sacrificially, propelling them to meet and excel high standards.” They also credit Wall with being instrumental “in encouraging students to pursue internships and study abroad.”

After receiving an associate degree in 1969 from Paducah Community College, Wall majored in journalism and library science at Murray State, graduating cum laude in 1971. She received her master of library science in 1974 at the University of Illinois, a master’s degree in journalism from Murray State in 1978 and the doctorate at the University of Kentucky in 2000. Wall also completed an educational leadership program at Vanderbilt University in 1984.

Wall returned to MSU in 1980 as an assistant professor and reference librarian. She has also served as Study Abroad coordinator and assistant director and acting director in the Center for International Programs and head of the circulation department in the Waterfield Library. She joined the MSU journalism faculty in 1994 as associate professor of journalism and mass communications.

A member of the Clark Residential College Advisory Board, Wall has also served as a board member with the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad since 1995 and has accompanied numerous students to Ireland, Australia, London and Scotland in the Study Abroad Program. She has also been a member of the Faculty Senate and the Insurance and Benefits Committee at Murray State.

Wall has given numerous presentations throughout the country including Minneapolis, Cincinnati, and Baltimore and has been published in numerous publications including Tech Trends , International Journal of Special Education and The Southeastern Librarian .