Mark J. Congdon Jr., Jr.

Dr. Mark Congdon Jr. is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies within the School of Communication, Media and the Arts at Sacred Heart University and is a certified K-12 special education, K-12 speech communication, and 6-12 social studies teacher. Mark primarily teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in Strategic Communication, PR, and Advertising within the Department of Communication Studies at Sacred Heart. His courses are designed through the pedagogical frameworks of (critical) Universal Design for Learning, communication activism pedagogy, and (critical) service-learning, where students gain hands-on experience partnering with local organizations and community partners to develop PR, integrated marketing communication, & advertising materials and campaigns around social justice efforts/initiatives. Through this hands-on experience, students develop a pre-professional portfolio to aid their career preparation, while simultaneously developing their sense of civic engagement.

 

Mark holds a PhD in Communication with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship in Communication Pedagogy and Educational Leadership from the University of Maine. His expertise is interdisciplinary connecting the fields of communication studies, community engagement, cultural studies, educational studies, and social entrepreneurship from a social justice framework. Prior to entering the academy, Mark used his time and talents as a special education teacher to advocate for students with disabilities and their families. Once in the academy, he remains committed to doing this social justice work, while connecting (and expanding) his interests to how higher education can work in and with communities for social change. Mark’s training as a communication researcher focuses on how strategic and relational communication can be used as vehicles for positive social change efforts and community activism. That is, his scholarship considers the ways in which community partnerships and pedagogical praxis (i.e., teaching and learning) can work together to advance social justice initiatives in communities. Mark’s research has been published in Communication Education, Communication Teacher, The Qualitative Report, and Partnerships: A Journal of Service-Learning & Civic Engagement, among others. 

 

Mark is also a National Board Member of U.S.-El Salvador Sister Cities, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a cultural-economic model of relationships between the US and El Salvador based on social justice, solidarity, and empowerment. He is a former special education department chair and teacher and a Teach for America alumnus. Outside of teaching and research, Mark is a huge Buffalo Bills fan, loves to cook, perform karaoke, and travel, especially to the beach.

Sacred Heart University

School of Communication, Media and the Arts

Martire Center, Office Room: W218

Office #: 203-371-7714