Dean

About

  • Role:

    Staff
  • Position:

    • Dean
  • Department:

    • CLA Dean's Office
  • Education:

    • Ph.D. Mass Communication, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Biography

Kjerstin Thorson is an internationally recognized political communication scholar. She began her role as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts on August 1, 2024, having most recently served as Brandt Endowed Professor of Political Communication and Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts & Sciences.

Thorson graduated with a BA in English from Macalester College, an MA in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a PhD in Mass Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research examines digital platforms and their impact on our civic lives and civic culture. Thorson’s scholarship has been supported by the NSF, the Social Science Research Council, and the Spencer Foundation.

Under Thorson’s leadership as Associate Dean at Michigan State University, the College of Communication Arts and Sciences grew its portfolio of revenue generating partnerships, created a college-wide Center for Teaching and Learning, launched the Ignite the Future family of programs to support student success for first-generation and historically marginalized students, and expanded MSU’s esports initiative. Thorson prioritizes culture and climate in her approach to strategic initiatives, with prior work to establish formal promotion pathways for non-tenure track faculty, developing a college climate survey, and creating culture-building events in support of staff, faculty, and students

Thorson is the recipient of multiple research and teaching awards, including Michigan State University’s Teacher-Scholar Award. She was a 2022-2023 Fellow of the Big 10 Academic Alliance Leadership Program.