Chelsea Slack – President’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

The lessons that shape a life often begin long before a career does. For Assistant Professor of Communication and Media Studies Chelsea Slack, the foundation for a lifetime of service was built in rural South Arkansas, where she was raised by her grandparents and learned that meaningful service is measured not by recognition, but by impact.

“My grandparents taught me to serve others not for recognition or reward, but because it is the right thing to do,” she said.

Those early lessons continue to guide Slack’s work at Southeastern, where she has dedicated herself to preparing students for professional success while preserving and enriching the university’s story. Her service centers on her role as faculty advisor to Student Publications, where she mentors students working with The Lion’s Roar, Le Souvenir yearbook, The ManeStream podcast, and Strawberry Prism magazine.

For Slack, advising is far more than a title. It is a daily investment in students’ growth as writers, storytellers, and professionals. Through hands-on experiences, she helps students develop the technical expertise, confidence, and leadership skills needed to thrive after graduation.

“Service to others has been the thread that has run through my entire career,” Slack said. “It has never been about checking boxes on a committee assignment list; it has always been about mentoring students and contributing to the university community.”

The impact of that commitment can be seen in the accomplishments of her students. Under her guidance, student journalists and communicators have produced award-winning work while gaining real-world experience that prepares them for competitive careers.

“Our students produce award-winning work and, more importantly, leave Southeastern prepared to excel in their careers,” she explained. “Several of our former reporters and editors at The Lion’s Roar have gone on to work in local, state, and even national media. They understand the demands of the industry because they have experienced them firsthand through hands-on learning in the newsroom and in the field.”

Slack’s dedication to mentorship also shaped one of Southeastern’s most significant recent historical projects. Commissioned by the Southeastern Foundation, she authored the 25-year update to the university’s history, We Hail Thee Now Southeastern. The project required reviewing more than 10,000 pages of archival materials, but Slack transformed the undertaking into a collaborative learning experience by involving graduate and undergraduate students throughout the process.

“This was a university project, so Dr. Slack was able to involve graduate and undergraduate students in the process. It’s a part of who she is,” said Communication and Media Studies Interim Department Head Joe Burns. “She’s a leader bringing students to the world of journalism through true-to-life exercises like We Hail Thee Now Southeastern. The students were able to see journalism in action.”

For Slack, service remains rooted in the values first modeled by her grandparents.

“In honoring the spirit of my grandparents and maintaining our family’s cultural folkways, I hope to live out my Pappaw’s belief: that by doing for others as we would do for ourselves, we carry forward the legacy of service and help ensure that goodness endures in the world.”