By ALIYAH BIDWELL, Student Reporter
Dr. John Ellerbach is a new professor of mass communication at Northwestern.
Q: What brought you to northwestern?
A: This last summer and fall, I was working at Kutztown University. It’s part of the Pennsylvania State system, and I was teaching public relations and other classes, and then they were going face-to-face and part online.
My daughter and her family, they live near Pittsburgh. They said, “Hey, why don’t you take some time off and come live with us?” At the time, COVID-19 wasn’t really bad up there. Anyways, so I lived there seven months, and I decided to do some writing, and I did that. Then along came this December. I was with my granddaughter and doing a lot of things there, but I looked at job openings, and suddenly, there’s this one, which is unusual to find something in January that’s tenure-track. So, I inquired and did some online interviews and really liked the people I talked to, and I thought, “I do miss the teaching. Maybe I will go back.” And I did.
Q: How long have you been in education?
A: I actually started out as an English and Spanish teacher and a baseball coach in Wisconsin in the late ‘70s. Then I wanted something a little more intellectual, so I got into journalism and became a news reporter, and I wrote for magazines for a few years.
Then my wife and I moved to Lima, Peru, and I did some teaching there, and I really enjoyed it. So, when I came back, I got a master’s degree at Drake University. Then I ended up in public relations for three years. Then I went to Oklahoma State and got to be a part of the faculty, but also worked on my doctorate.
Then, after that, I went to Illinois, and I have been teaching ever since. Although I did take some time off, and we got a place in the mountains, and I did some gardening and some writing for about three years. So, rounded up, I have been teaching for more than 30 years.
Q: Why are you passionate about mass communication?
A: Well, the big reason is because I have had the professional experience. I wrote for broadcast material and scripts. I have written books and magazine articles. I just enjoy writing, but I also enjoy being with students. So, it was the right field for me. … I have been fortunate to correspond with a lot of my former students. Many of them have been successful, and they keep in touch. It’s not one specific highlight, but it’s a lot of fun to hear from successful people.
Q: Where did you attend college?
A: I started out at the University of Iowa, and I found it to be way too big for me, but I did well academically. Then, I got an academic scholarship at a small liberal arts school in Iowa. I took it and graduated from there. I got my master’s at Drake University and my doctorate at Stillwater. I do suggest people go to a place like Northwestern because you get more personal attention.
Q: What is your superpower?
A: My superpower would be that I have no superpower. The reason that’s important is because, if you don’t have that, it’s so much easier to live without the burden of having a superpower.
Q: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?
A: I work out every day, and I realized I am stronger than I was 30 years ago.