Award established by Jonathan, MS '62, and Maxine Marshall

Dean Tim Gleason congratulates Marshall Award winner Kim Sheehan. Photo by Jack Liu

After 13 years in professional advertising, Kim Sheehan was ready for a change. When the agency she worked for was sold, advancing in the industry would have required a move from Boston to New York. Instead of relocating, she dedicated herself full-time to the MBA that she had been working on and opened her own advertising consulting firm.

Although she quickly built her client list, including Laura Ashley, Sheehan knew that she was headed toward teaching.

"As a professional, I realized that one of my strengths was the ability to take complex advertising ideas and help clients understand what they meant," says Sheehan. "I loved it. And I love it when the same thing happens with students: I enjoy seeing them get it!"

It is this dedication to teaching that earned Sheehan the 2001 Jonathan Marshall Award for Innovative Teaching in Journalism and Communication.

Her work as an assistant professor focuses on the management side of advertising, including account management, campaigns, advertising in cyberspace, and advertising and society.

"In the classroom, Kim does a marvelous job of weaving the academic and professional elements of advertising into a powerful learning experience," says SOJC Dean Tim Gleason. "Her receiving the Marshall Award is testimony to her both her passion as a teacher and her skill in helping students develop into young professionals."

Advertising graduate Sheila Vineyard, who now works as an assistant media buyer at TBWA OMD, says that it is Sheehan's willingness to advise students on their academic as well as their professional development that makes her such an asset.

"Kim expected great work from me and never let me give less than my best," Vineyard says. "She gave me the tools to ask the right questions, to use research to support my claims and to never lose sight of why I'm here--because I love advertising!"

Sheehan's high expectations for students led advertising senior Kevin Griffith to his current role as director of Allen Hall Advertising. "One day, Kim invited me into her office and asked me if I was interested in Allen Hall Advertising. I never would have taken the opportunity to apply, mostly because I would be nervous about it, but when she said that, I knew I had to," Griffith says.

Sheehan's work with students extends beyond the classroom. Last year, in the Campaigns class that she co-taught with Associate Professor Ann Maxwell, students worked with Eugene Downtown, Inc. to develop the "Northwest of Normal" campaign for the Eugene Celebration. Although intended for a single year, the "Normal" tag line is back again this year and may become a permanent addition to the Celebration's identity.

Last year Sheehan served as faculty adviser for Ad Club and this year is the adviser for Allen Hall Advertising. She is a member of the Account Planning Group US and the Mid-Oregon Advertising Club and works with the Portland Advertising Federation.

Sheehan's research interests focus on new technology, specifically privacy concerns, online consumer behavior and research applications of
technology. She is currently working on a book on advertising account planning.

The Marshall Award was established by Jonathan, MS '62, and Maxine Marshall. The Marshalls were the owners and publishers of the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Progress for 25 years before establishing a charitable foundation in support of nonprofit organizations.

Nominations for the award are submitted by students, who are asked to discuss specific ways in which the nominee has helped students gain new insight, see connections between theory and practice and strengthen professional skills. Sheehan was chosen for the award by a committee of emeritus professors. All teaching faculty in the SOJC are eligible, including tenure-track professors, visiting professors and adjunct faculty. The annual award carries a $2000 cash prize.

Previous faculty members to receive the award include Kellee Weinhold, John Russial, Deb Merskin, Tom Bivins, Tim Gleason, Bill Ryan, Ann Maxwell, Tom Wheeler, Carl Bybee, Al Stavitsky and Roger Lavery.