Professor, School of Advertising and Public Relations
Biography
Sally J. McMillan is a professor of advertising and public relations at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. McMillan joined the UT faculty in 1999 as an assistant professor. Prior to UT, McMillan taught at Boston University, the University of Oregon and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Her primary teaching areas are advertising management, media, social media, and research. She also teaches public relations writing.
From 2005-2015, McMillan served in administrative roles at UT. She first served as an associate dean in the College of Communication and Information where she worked with the faculty and administrative team to develop strategic and curricular priorities for undergraduate and graduate programs. In 2010 she became Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and was responsible for the undergraduate priority area in the strategic plan.
Her research explores the impact of new communication technologies on individuals, organizations and society; examines factors that lead to academic success for students from diverse backgrounds; and evaluates approaches to communicating with underserved populations about health. She has published more than 50 scholarly articles and has received multiple awards for both her teaching and her research.
Her research has been published in journals such as: Cancer Control Journal, Electronic Journal of Communication, Health Communication, Information Communication and Society, International Journal of Advertising, Journal of Advertising Education, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Advertising, Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, Journal of Consumer Affairs, Journal of Health Communication, Journal of Interactive Advertising, Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, New Media & Society, and Psychology and Marketing.
McMillan has a bachelor's degree in English from Southern Adventist University and a master's degree in journalism and public relations from the University of Maryland. She has a doctorate in communication and society from the University of Oregon. Before earning her PhD, she worked for 15 years as communication practitioner and technology executive.
She is a member of the American Academy of Advertising, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, the Association of Internet Researchers and the International Communication Association.
