Focus on Faculty: Juan Meng

(Editor’s note: This feature was originally written by UGA Marketing and Communications) 

Juan Meng, an associate professor in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication, gives students hands-on learning experiences that help them develop into leaders in public relations.

Where did you earn degrees and what are your current responsibilities at UGA?

I earned my bachelor’s degree in economics from Fudan University in Shanghai, China. My first master’s degree, in communication, is from Bowling Green State University with a concentration in organizational communication. Then I went to the University of Alabama to obtain my Ph.D. in mass communication with a concentration in public relations. While I worked toward my doctorate, I also earned my second master’s degree in marketing from the University of Alabama.

I am currently an associate professor of public relations in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. I teach undergraduate courses in public relations research and campaigns as well as graduate courses related to public relations. I mentor some of our graduate students’ thesis and dissertation research. Another thing I enjoy doing here at UGA is directing the Grady College’s Choose China study abroad program, which I founded in 2013.

What are your favorite courses and why?

I enjoy teaching our capstone course, “Public Relations Campaigns” because the content of the course involves the development and presentation of a complete communication campaign for a real organization. Student teams are challenged at various levels in this course, from team collaboration, to problem/opportunity identification, to strategic planning, to creative thinking and to campaign evaluation. It is critical for students to move beyond the “knowing” perspective to the “know-how” process.

As the director of the Choose China program, I enjoy leading a group of students who travel to China each summer and offer them the best opportunities to learn current practices in advertising, public relations, social media and integrated communication from market leaders in today’s China. It feels amazing and rewarding to see students get firsthand knowledge regarding how communication agencies work in that region and how the cultural experience broadens their global view and understanding of international communication.

What do you hope students gain from their classroom experience with you?

I hope my PR students understand the meaning and the role of leadership in public relations practice. I hope their learning journey with me inspires them to be visionary, future-oriented, lead under diversity and transform diversity into competitive advantages, no matter in a classroom setting or in public relations practice.

Please visit Focusing on Faculty: Juan Meng to view the entire Q&A about Meng’s research and time at UGA. 

Date: September 4, 2018


Editor:  Jessica Twine,  jdt86350@uga.edu