Marian Gagnon (she/her)
Adjunct College of Arts & Sciences English Online
Biography and Expertise
Marian Gagnon, Ph.D., a Professor in the English Department in the College of Arts & Sciences at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I. for more than 20 years is now retired and teaching online as an Adjunct Professor. As a full-time professor, she taught Newswriting, English Composition, Speech Communications, Film Studies, and Visual Literacy & the Sociology of Perception. Dr. Gagnon developed the curriculum for Introduction to Newswriting and Visual Literacy & the Sociology of Perception, the latter of which she continues to teach online
Dr. Gagnon has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Rhode Island, a Master of Arts in Teaching from Johnson & Wales, and a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies with a specialization in Media Studies and Documentary Genre from The Union Institute & University in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Her first job at JWU was Director of Public Relations, a post she held for 10 years. In that capacity, she worked with Newsweek, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, CNN, the Today Show, Seventeen, and the Associated Press, among others. As director, she also wrote the annual President’s Report and was a critical player on the University’s Crisis Management Team.
Before coming to Johnson & Wales, she worked as a journalist and editor for newspapers and magazines throughout New England and central Ohio for more than 15 years. She garnered numerous first-place awards for both writing and investigative reporting.
Education
PhD
Union Institute & University
Johnson & Wales University
BA
University of Rhode Island