Dr. Jeffrey Tyus

Professor
Dr. Jeffrey Tyus - profile photo

Dr. Jeffrey Tyus

Professor

Communication

Bliss Hall 2015

phone: (330) 941-1856

jltyus@ysu.edu

Bio

Dr. Jeffrey Tyus is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Communication at Youngstown State University. He previously taught at Ohio University, Furman University, and Sinclair Community College before joining the faculty of YSU in 2007. Dr. Tyus earned his degrees from Ohio University, acquiring a BA and MA in the School of Telecommunication, and his Ph.D. in the School of Interpersonal Communication. He earned a Distinguished Professor for Service in 2013 and 2018.

Dr. Tyus’ research agenda is heavily influenced by race, class, and gender studies, especially the study of underrepresented groups in American society. He has traveled to Ghana three times to recruit international students for both the Department of Communication and the university overall and to take students on a Study Abroad experience. He has also traveled extensively internationally to Italy, the Bahamas, Turkey, Paris, Greece, Ghana, Toronto, and Montreal.

Dr. Tyus is native to Cleveland and currently lives in the Twinsburg area of Cleveland with his two 2-year-old pups, Jaxson and Xola.

Research Interests

Sports Fandom
Critical Cultural Studies
Intercultural/International issues
Gender Communication
Media Studies

Teaching Interests

Communication Foundation
Intercultural Communication
Communication Research
Media Relations Campaigns
Conflict Management & Negotiation
Introduction to Graduate Studies

  • Education
    • 1999

      Ph D, Interpersonal Communication

      Ohio University

      Dissertation/Thesis Title — "An interpretive inquiry into televisual representations in African American-oriented sitcoms."

    • 1995

      MA, Telecommunication

      Ohio University

    • 1993

      BS, Telecommunication

      Ohio University

  • Awards and Honors
    • 2023

      Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley

      $2,500 Grant for the International Student Welcome Dinner

      Awarded a $2,500 grant to support our 2nd Annual International Student Welcome Dinner held in October

    • 2023

      International Institute of Youngstown

      $5,000

      Received this grant to support the 2nd Annual International Student Welcome Dinner held in October. I led a committee that organized this event.

    • 2022

      International Institute of Youngstown

      $5,000 Grant

      To fund the Inaugural International Student Welcome Dinner intended to welcome our International Students to campus. I led a committee that organized this event.

    • 2021

      Youngstown State University

      Student Service Award

      I was nominated for my role in chairing Student Conduct Board hearings

    • 2018

      Youngstown State University

      Distinguished Professor in Service Award

      Received the Distinguished Professor Award in the area of service for all of the service-related things I am involved in on campus.

    • 2013

      Youngstown State University

      Distinguished Professor in Service

      I received the Distinguished Professor Award in the area of Service for my participation in multiple service-related projects on campus.

    • 2004

      Sinclair Community College

      Awarded a $3500 Professional Development Grant

      Awarded a professional development grant of $3500 to explore Italian culture through the Community Colleges of International Development (CCID) program at Sinclair Community College. Information obtained during the trip would be used in my Intercultural Communication class.

    • 2000

      Furman University

      Maiden Invitation Award Recipient

      I received the Maiden Invitation Award which was given to an Outstanding Faculty Member in the classroom and the university community.

  • Professional Positions
    • 2007 -

      Youngstown State University

      Professor

    • 2000 - 2007

      Sinclair Community College

      Associate Professor

    • 1999 - 2000

      Furman University

      Assistant Professor (1-year, nontenure track)

    • 1998 - 1999

      Ohio University

      Adjunct Faculty

  • Administrative Assignments
    • 2023 - present

      Director

  • Intellectual Contributions
    • 2022

      "How Partisanship in New Media Led to An Insurrection"

      C. Jackson Leftwich, J. Tyus

      Ghana Institute of Journalism Press

    • 2021

      "Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in an Intercultural Society"

      J. Tyus, J. Jackson

      Kendall Hunt Publishing Company

    • 2018

      "Observation and Note Taking, Conducting Qualitative Interviews, and Undertaking Focus Groups."

      R. Curnalia, A. Ferris, D. Mermer, J. Tyus, C. Wecht

      Top Hat

    • 2016

      "Untapped Potential: The Role of Faculty and State Associations in Developing the Undergraduate Researcher"

      J. Tyus

      Ohio Communication Journal, volume 54, p. 11-17

    • 2016

      "Experiencing Ghana: A View Through the Eyes of an African American"

      J. Tyus

      The Spectator (Ghanaian Newspaper), p. 12

    • 2015

      "It’s All in the Family: A Historical Analysis of Diversity and Family Communication Within Television Sitcoms"

      J. Tyus

      Sage Publications, Inc, p. 337-352

    • 2011

      "Recognizing the Struggles of Local Political Campaigns: A Call for a Revolution in Media Coverage of Local Politics"

      R. Curnalia, D. Mermer, J. Tyus

      Ohio Communication Journal, volume ume 49, p. 83-99

    • 2011

      "Cleveland Indians"

      A. Earnheardt, J. Tyus

    • 2011

      "Cleveland Browns"

      J. Tyus, A. Earnheardt

    • 2008

      "Test Bank for Grice and Skinner’s Mastering Public Speaking: The Handbook"

      J. Tyus

      Allyn and Bacon

    • 2002

      "Effective Speaking I: COM 211 Student Course Pac"

      K. Zimmerman, L. Disbrow, J. Tyus, D. Bodary

      International Thompson Publishing

  • Professional Service
    • 2017 - present

      Committee Member
      Doctoral Committee for Jaietta Jackson, College of Education, Kent State University

    • 2014 - 2015

      Workshop Organizer
      Short Courses Division, National Communication Association Annual Conference

    • 2014 - 2015

      Committee Member
      National Communication Association Program Planning Team

    • 2012 - 2014

      Task Force Member
      National Communication Association Constitutional Revision Taskforce

    • 2010 - 2011

      Task Force Chair
      Convention Theme Committee, National Communication Association

    • 2008 - 2011

      Committee Chair
      Wallace A Bacon Lifetime Teaching Excellence Award Committee, National Communication Association

    • 2008 - present

      Other
      Ohio Communication Association

    • 2008 - 2013

      Committee Member
      Northeast Ohio Communication Advocates (NOCA)

    • 2008 - 2013

      Committee Chair
      Public Relations Society of America, Akron Chapter

    • 2006 - 2014

      Committee Member
      Legislative Assembly, National Communication Association

    • 2005 - 2006

      Committee Member
      Central States Communication Association

    • 2005 - 2007

      Committee Member
      Faculty Advisory Board, Sigma Chi Eta National Office, National Communication Association

    • 2004 - 2006

      Officer, President/Elect/Past
      Ohio Communication Association

    • 2003 - 2004

      Committee Chair
      Community College Interest Group, Central States Communication Association

    • 2002 - 2003

      Committee Member
      Community College Interest Group, Central States Communication Association

    • 2002 - 2004

      Officer, Vice President
      Speech Communication Association of Ohio (later became Ohio Communication Association)

  • Public Service
    • 2024 - present

      Other
      Youngstown Vindicator Regional Spelling Bee

    • 2022 - present

      Participant
      WCBA Dare to Care Community Service Event

    • 2021 - 2021

      Guest Speaker
      Ohio Colloquium

    • 2020 - present

      Participant
      Ohio Colloquium at Ohio University

    • 2019 - 2024

      Chair
      Justice and Policing Subcommittee of the JEDI Committee

    • 2019 - 2024

      Committee Member
      Justice Equity Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) Committee

    • 2012 - present

      Board Member
      The International Institute Foundation of Youngstown, Ohio, Inc

    • 2006 - 2007

      Committee Member
      YMCA Metro Office

    • 2006 - 2007

      Chair
      Downtown Dayton YMCA

    • 2006 - 2007

      Other
      STARS Programs

    • 2003 - 2004

      Committee Member
      Downtown Dayton YMCA

    • 2003 - 2004

      Committee Member
      Division Merit Committee, Fine and Performing Arts Division

    • 2003 - 2007

      Board Member
      Downtown Dayton YMCA

    • 2002 - 2006

      Committee Member
      Downtown Dayton YMCA

    • 2002 - 2006

      Committee Member
      Academic Petitions Committee

    • 2002 - 2007

      Other
      Lambda Chapter, Sigma Chi Eta

    • 2002 - 2007

      Chair
      Blackademic Challenge Trivia Contest subcommittee, African American History Month Committee

    • 2001 - 2001

      Volunteer
      CityFolk Festival

    • 2001 - 2002

      Other
      Upward Bound College Prep Program

    • 2001 - 2002

      Committee Member
      Auction Supercommittee Fundraiser to support the Sinclair Foundation

    • 2001 - 2007

      Other
      College Without Walls (CWW) Program

    • 2001 - 2007

      Committee Member
      African American History Month Committee

    • 2000 - 2002

      Member
      Northern Hills Neighborhood Association

J_Tyus.jpg

Professor, Department of Communication

His education includes:

  • PhD: Ohio University
  • MA: Ohio University
  • BA: Ohio University

His recent publications include:

  • Tyus, J. (2016). Untapped Potential: The Role of Faculty and State Associations in Developing the Undergraduate Researcher. Ohio Communication Journal, Vol. 54, p. 11-17.
  • Tyus, J. (June 11, 2016). Experiencing Ghana: A View Through the Eyes of an African American. The Spectator (Ghanaian Newspaper), p. 12.
  • Tyus, J. (2015). It’s All in the Family: A Historical Analysis of Diversity and Family Communication Within Television Sitcoms, in The Sage Handbook of Family Communication, Sage Publications,Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, pp.337-352
  • Curnalia, R., Mermer, D., & Tyus, J. (2011). Recognizing the Struggles of Local Political Campaigns: A Call for a Revolution in Media Coverage of Local Politics. Ohio Communication Journal, Volume 49, pp. 83-99.
  • Earnheardt, A. C., & Tyus, J. L. (2011). Cleveland Indians. Encyclopedia of Sports Management and Marketing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Tyus, J. L., & Earnheardt, A. C. (2011). Cleveland Browns. Encyclopedia of Sports Management and Marketing. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
  • Tyus, J. (2008) Test Bank for Grice and Skinner’s Mastering Public Speaking: The Handbook. Allyn and Bacon; Boston, MA.
  • Zimmerman, K., Disbrow, L., Tyus, J. & Bodary, D. (2002) Effective Speaking I: COM 211 Student Course Pac. International Thompson Publishing.
  • His Research Interests include:

  • Cultural studies, especially as it relates to intercultural and gender communication
  • Media studies
  • Media and public relations
  • Sports communication and fandom
  • His awards include:

  • Student Services Award, Youngstown State University, 2021
  • Distinguished Professor in Service, Youngstown State University, 2013 & 2018
  • Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Diversity Award, Mentor Recognition, January 21, 2010.
  • Awarded a professional development grant of $3500 to explore Italian culture through the Community Colleges of International Development (CCID) program.
  • Maiden Invitation Award—Outstanding Faculty Member, Furman University, May 3, 2000