Three join department faculty
The JMC Department had three new faculty members this fall. They were new as instructors, but not new to Murray State.
Two of them, William Gross Magee and Brent Norsworthy, joined the department in July when the Graphic Communication Management program became a part of JMC. The unit has a major and minors in graphic communications technology and photography.
The third faculty member, Elizabeth Thomas, filled the public relations position of Haven Miller when he resigned. She served as the KIIS communications director/program coordinator at Murray State while she completed her master's degree in mass communications.
Magee, the coordinator of the Graphic Communications program, teaches commercial photography and digital imaging.
He grew up in a newspaper publishing family in western Kentucky. His mother, Judy, owned and operated several weekly newspapers and his sister, Ava, worked with them until moving to a public relations position in Paducah.
Magee started working his father's cameras and reestablished the darkroom when he was 14. While he was in high school, he was having his photos published in books, newspapers and national magazines.
He earned his degree in graphic communications with an emphasis in photography at Murray State and then returned to photojournalism. In the early 1980's, in order to computerize the family-owned publications, he did an intensive study of digital imaging.
By the late 1980s, he not only completed the computerization of the newspapers but had written software for the production of classified ads and marketed the product both nationally and internationally.
In 1990 in became the coordinator of the GAT/GAERF Video Project at Murray State. He produced and marketed videos for the graphic communications industry. He also supervised the translation and overdubbing of the tapes into Spanish.
He next focused on selling computer systems to publishing companies and completed his master's degree at Murray State in industrial education with an emphasis in digital imaging.
In 1997 he joined the faculty as a lecturer in the graphic communications program. He still does limited work in commercial photography and focuses on personal photography projects.
Norsworthy, who has the bachelor's degree in graphic communications management and the master's degree in management of technology from Murray State, joined the MSU faculty as a lecturer in 2008.
He teaches courses in graphic communications management and maintains the GCM computer lab and production facilities in Wilson Hall. In addition, he develops and teaches classes for the Upward Bound program on campus.
He provides digital services to clients through his company, The Digital Handyman. These services include computer service/repair, software and hardware training, pressure sensitive vinyl film design/plotting and installation, design solutions (graphics, logos, websites, etc.), printed material design and printing services.
He is a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals and the Adobe Designers User Group.
Thomas was named one of the two Outstanding Master's Students last spring. She received her undergraduate degree in journalism with an emphasis in advertising from the University of Florida in Gainsville.
Her communications experience includes marketing director for Transeastern Homes in Coral Springs, Fla., president/creative director for A Flair for Holly Advertising Inc., regional advertising manager for UDC Homes in Boynton Beach, Fla., vice president for publications for First Marketing Corporation in Pompano Beach, Fla. and media planner for RKO Radio in Los Angeles.
She currently heads her social media consulting firm, Elizabeth Thomas Creative, LLC.