Photo // arts.iusb.edu
By: Evelyn KowalskiStaff-Writer
After over a decade of service to IU South Bend as an associate professor and chair of the communication studies department, Kari Wilson will depart IU South Bend this semester to a new position, exploring new skills and expanding her knowledge.
Wilson has taught communications at IU South Bend for 12 years, inspiring her students to think about how media and other forms of communication affect their daily lives. However, her commitment extends beyond the classroom; Wilson commutes to IU South Bend from Grand Rapids, which she said can be challenging, especially during the winter months. So, she decided to look for a job closer to home and was able to find a remote position that would allow her to work at home and be closer to her family.
Notably, Wilson’s new position is not in higher education: she will work in social science for the FDA on tobacco products. She said this is an exciting change for her and that she looks forward to trying something new in her career.
Wilson has previously conducted research related to health communication and been published in journals “Substance Use and Misuse”, so this path is not a total digression from her background.
Despite her optimism, Wilson said she will dearly miss her time in IU South Bend. She explained how her time teaching here was a wonderful experience, and she enjoyed meeting people from different departments and having the pleasure of teaching a variety of students.
“I am really going to miss my colleagues in the communications studies department. I’m definitely going to miss the students,” she said. “I have been so inspired by the hard work that our students have put in when they are balancing so much, whether it’s another job or a family. They are so dedicated to their studies, so I am definitely going to miss the students and the collegiality among the faculty on campus as well.”
Thank you, Kari!