Penn State's New Communications Dean: What Students Should Know

Some deans arrive with a fixed blueprint; others spend the first semester protecting what already works. Emily Metzgar started July 1 as dean of Penn State's Bellisario College of Communications, and her opening moves lean toward analytics and cross-unit collaboration.

The stakes are concrete. Bellisario's advising team absorbed nearly 500 drop-in students in a single week, and the Digital Media Trends and Analytics minor is already among the largest at Penn State. For communication students, those two facts shape daily experience: how fast you get advising help, and whether your transcript carries the data and media skills employers actually hire for.

Who Is Emily Metzgar? A Quick Background

Emily Metzgar is the new dean of Penn State's Bellisario College of Communications. Before that, she was a professor and director of the School of Journalism and Media at Kent State University from 2020 until 2026.¹ Penn State announced her appointment in March 2026, and she succeeded Denise Bortree, who had served as interim dean since June 2025.

Academic and Administrative Path

Metzgar's earlier career was anchored at Indiana University, where she rose from assistant professor to associate professor between 2008 and 2020.³ During that stretch she directed the honors program from 2015 to 2018 and later led undergraduate studies from 2018 to 2020.³ At Kent State, she added director responsibilities while remaining involved in curriculum and faculty development.

A Research Base in Media and Diplomacy

Her scholarly work focuses on public diplomacy and the intersection of media and foreign policy.⁴ She has published in journals such as Journalism Practice, New Media & Society, and Political Communication, and her first book examined the JET Program and U.S.-Japan relations. Before academia, Metzgar worked as a diplomat, policy analyst, journalist, and community columnist. She holds a B.A. in political science and French from the University of Michigan, an M.A. from George Washington University's Elliott School, and a Ph.D. in media and public affairs from LSU's Manship School.³ When her Penn State appointment was announced in March, well wishes arrived from around the world, reflecting the breadth of those professional connections.

What Are the New Dean's Stated Priorities?

Broader communication education trends are pushing programs toward analytics, experiential learning, and cross-unit collaboration, and new deans face pressure to modernize without destabilizing strong programs. Emily Metzgar's first stated priorities at Penn State Bellisario reflect that balancing act.

Continuity first: "not break anything"

In a September 2026 interview with Onward State, Metzgar described her top priority as simply to "not break anything" while pursuing "growth without disruption." She framed the college as already doing "so much right" and said her role is to "build on this incredible foundation" and preserve a "fantastic reputation" in journalism, mass communication, and media education. She calls Bellisario "a special place" built on "creativity, collaboration, and a shared commitment to excellence," and she sees "opportunities for us to grow even further."

Students at the center

Her official vision centers on students. She points to "cutting-edge experiences" that combine new technologies, hands-on learning, and experiential learning to prepare graduates for lifelong career success. Metzgar also commits to supporting faculty, staff, and students and creating an environment "where everyone can thrive." Penn State's announcement echoes this as a "thoughtful vision for strengthening the student experience and preparing graduates to lead and innovate."

Expanding collaboration

Metzgar wants Bellisario to expand its leadership among top research institutions and strengthen cross-disciplinary connections. She cites the Digital Media Trends and Analytics minor as a sign of where the college can keep growing, suggesting analytics and cross-unit partnerships will sit near the top of her priority list.

Advising Overload: What 500 Drop-In Students a Week Reveals

Advising demand at Penn State's Bellisario College has reached a level that no communication student should have to navigate alone. In a single week, the college's advising team saw almost 500 drop-in students, a volume that points to real strain on advisors and longer waits for the individual guidance students need.

Why the Volume Signals a Structural Problem

When nearly 500 students walk in over five business days, the math is stark: roughly 100 drop-ins per day, often compressed into short windows between classes. That pace leaves little room for deep conversations about course sequencing, internship credits, or career-aligned electives. Students may end up with quick answers instead of strategic planning, and wait times can balloon during registration peaks. For students navigating complex degree requirements, the bottleneck is not just inconvenient; it can delay decisions about minors, study abroad, or graduation timelines.

What to Expect Under Metzgar

The new dean has already flagged advising as an area of focus, and her background suggests she will look for systems, not just more bodies. Expect possible changes to drop-in hours, appointment triage, or expanded peer advising. For students, the practical move is to prepare for both formats: bring specific questions, use online scheduling when available, and don't wait until the last week of registration to seek help.

Curriculum Direction: Growth of the DMTA Minor and Cross-Disciplinary Learning

The Digital Media Trends and Analytics (DMTA) minor already ranks as one of the largest minors for communication degree at Penn State, which makes it a natural centerpiece for curriculum growth under new Bellisario College dean Emily Metzgar. Rather than treating communication as a standalone discipline, Metzgar has signaled interest in connecting Bellisario students with other academic units, a cross-disciplinary push that aligns with her advice to "be entrepreneurial."

Why DMTA Matters

DMTA gives communications majors digital communication skills in audience data, platform metrics, and emerging media behavior. Its size suggests strong student demand, but also room to deepen the curriculum instead of just expanding course sections. Students who pair a communication major with this minor can position themselves for roles that blend strategy, storytelling, and measurement.

Building a Stackable Skill Set

The takeaway for current students is practical: consider stacking DMTA or a similar data-focused minor onto your communications degree. Metzgar's emphasis on finding opportunities others have missed applies to curriculum choices too. Adding analytics, business, or design coursework can differentiate a resume in public relations, journalism, or digital media without waiting for a formal program overhaul.

Cross-disciplinary learning does not have to mean a second major. A well-chosen minor or certificate can build the exact portfolio of skills employers ask for in entry-level communication roles.

How This Could Affect Journalism, PR, and Media Studies Students

The new dean's emphasis on entrepreneurship and cross-disciplinary collaboration will land differently depending on your track, but the common thread is clear: students who pair storytelling with data and proactively build portfolios will have an edge in mass communication careers.

Journalism students

For the roughly 371 journalism majors, the entrepreneurial message points toward self-directed reporting projects, freelance work, and niche beats that traditional newsrooms may overlook. Data skills from the Digital Media Trends and Analytics minor can strengthen investigative, audience, and digital storytelling work. Practical takeaway: treat every class assignment as a possible clip and pitch it beyond campus.

Public relations and advertising students

With 666 students in advertising and public relations, this is the college's largest enrollment area, one that increasingly spans roles blending public relations vs marketing vs strategic communication. Cross-disciplinary collaboration fits naturally here, but entrepreneurship means moving from executing campaigns to spotting communication problems before clients ask. Pairing PR strategy with DMTA analytics supports measurement, audience segmentation, and earned media insights. The college also reports that more than 400 students complete for-credit internships each year, giving this track a strong experiential baseline. Practical takeaway: focus on building a PR portfolio that shows both creative thinking and data-backed results.

Media studies students

Media studies is smaller, around 96 students, which can feel like less direct career scaffolding. The dean's advice to "be entrepreneurial" is especially important for this group. Media studies students should seek hands-on media production, research, or communication internships and use elective credits to add concrete tools such as analytics, video, or digital strategy. Practical takeaway: turn critical media analysis into visible projects, podcasts, reports, or campaigns.

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