OU's college of journalism has gained a journalist who wants to focus on inclusivity, diversity and student concerns as she begins her first semester on campus.
Yvette Walker is Gaylord’s second assistant dean and the first African-American to hold the position, OU Press Secretary Corbin Wallace said. After former assistant dean of Gaylord John Hockett, left last July, the administration conducted a search for a replacement. The administration found its replacement in Walker.
Interim Dean Ed Kelley said he has known Walker for eight or nine years because they both worked at The Oklahoman.
“I saw immediately this was a woman with great capacity, and she not only has extraordinary journalism skills but also a collaborative personality that fit very well in the newsroom of The Oklahoman,” Kelley said.
He said he later found out Walker had an experienced teaching background as well, and he believed she would be a great asset to the college.
“I came here from a 20-plus year career in journalism, mostly in newspapers and websites," Walker said. "I worked at The Oklahoman in Oklahoma City for nearly the past 10 years, and I also did some teaching at the University of Central Oklahoma the past five years. I was the media ethics chair in (UCO's) mass communication department. So I’ve been in the business a while — ever since I graduated with my journalism degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and after I got my master’s at the University of Missouri."
Walker said she chose to come to OU because the reputation of Gaylord College made the opportunity too great to pass up.
“I was here last summer working for the Oklahoma Institute of Diversity in Journalism with professor Melanie Wilderman,” Walker said. “I had been on campus before with meetings ... but this was a full week just working with students. That was a great experience.”
When the opportunity arose, Walker said she felt at home and knew Gaylord would be a great place to share her knowledge.
Walker said she plans to learn a lot this semester and is eager to sit in on classes in order to understand the curriculum and what the media students are learning.
Walker said she is working closely with the advisers and Coordinator of Community Inclusivity Dorion Billups in Gaylord. She said she's anticipating working with student groups and learning their needs in order to maintain the strong history the journalism college has.
“She will be the center of the vibrant life of the 1000 or so students at Gaylord and leading much of their activities,” Kelley said. “She loves being around people, and that was a real draw for her to leave a really good position she had at The Oklahoman to come work here at Gaylord.”
Walker said she is happy to be here on campus and to be a part of so many exciting things this semester.
