Associate professor

Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
M.A., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
B.A., Lenoir-Rhyne College

Associate Professor Lois A. Boynton is Public Relations Sequence head and master’s program adviser. Joining the faculty in 2001, she teaches ethics and public relations classes, is a fellow in the University’s Parr Center for Ethics, and was named to the University’s Academy of Distinguished Teaching Scholars. She won the School’s David Brinkley Teaching Award in spring 2007.  Her research focuses on ethical decision-making by public relations practitioners, professionalism and social responsibility. Other research interests include agenda building, persuasion, and nonprofit public relations challenges. She has published works in academic journals, including Communication Yearbook, Public Relations Review, Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, PRism, Journal of Promotion Management and The Successful Professor. She also co-authored two book chapters, one on ethics and another on successful teaching techniques.

Prior to joining academics, Boynton worked as a reporter and features editor for a community newspaper, the Observer-News-Enterprise in Newton, N.C., and later as public relations/advertising supervisor for a high-tech company, Siecor Corp. She is a member of the Public Relations Division and Media Ethics Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, International Communication Association, and the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics.

Office phone: (919) 843-8342
Office location: Carroll 237
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