Mariea Hoy, a professor in the School of Advertising and Public Relations, is the inaugural recipient of the DeForrest Jackson Professorship.
The school’s first named professorship, the DeForrest Jackson Professorship was created earlier this year with a $500,000 gift from Suzanne Sackleh Masters of Atlanta, who received her bachelor’s degree in advertising and public relations in 1989. Masters made the gift in honor of her favorite professor, DeForrest Jackson.
Jackson came to UT after retiring as communications director for Coca-Cola in Atlanta. He earned his master’s degree in communications from UT and went on to serve as an associate professor of advertising until he retired in 1996. He died in 2013.
The Jackson Professorship will be held by tenured faculty members on a three-year rotating basis. It rewards and recognizes an outstanding School of Advertising and Public Relations faculty member whose research, teaching, and academic and professional service have uniquely contributed to the mission of the school, the College of Communication and Information, and the university.
Hoy has been at UT since 1989. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master’s and doctorate in business administration, both from Oklahoma State University. She teaches advertising research, advertising and society, and advertising campaigns. Her research focuses on public policy areas such as advertising disclosures, advertising to children, online privacy, and covert advertising.
To date, CCI has raised $11.92 million of its $15 million Journey to the Top 25 campaign goal.