Media School outlines vision, priorities in 5-year strategic plan
Building upon its rigorous research foundation and offering a unique blend of interdisciplinary academic and real-world experience, The Media School will set a bold course for the future through the implementation of its five-year strategic plan, “Shaping the Future: A Vision for Media Innovation and Impact.”
The plan is a roadmap for strategic growth and evolution. It outlines a vision for the school to become a world-leader in interdisciplinary media studies — uniting creative practice and critical inquiry — that fosters ethical, innovative, and globally minded media professionals and scholars who shape the industry and society.
“This plan is the next step in shaping the identity of The Media School as we enter our second decade,” said Dean David Tolchinsky. “It was time to ask ourselves and define who we are, who we want to be, and what we stand for. What we found is that we’re the intersection of media scholarship and industry engagement, of critical inquiry and hands-on learning, and we value ethics, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.”
The plan aligns with the university and campus strategic plans — IU 2030 and IUB 2030 — with clear connections to their three pillars: Student Success and Opportunity, Transformative Research and Creativity, and Service to Our State and Beyond.
The plan identifies five strategic priorities:
- Raise the Profile and Reach of the School: The Media School will increase its visibility and influence by showcasing achievements, building partnerships, and driving strategic fundraising. Tactics include hosting high-profile summits and events, broadening international collaborations such as exchange programs, and expanding alumni communications and engagement.
- Enhance Academic and Operational Excellence: The school will further develop its academic programs and optimize operations to support growth and sustainability. This includes implementing a data-driven review process for all programs and courses, realigning and expanding degree programs, and streamlining administrative processes.
- Empower Student Success and Opportunity: To cultivate an environment where students thrive, the school will emphasize interdisciplinary education, hands-on experiences, and career preparation. New initiatives include the creation of a client-serving, student-run media agency that offers services such as video production and content strategy, an alumni-to-student connection mentorship program, and bridge programs with high schools and community colleges.
- Advance Research and Creative Innovation: To empower faculty and students to pursue groundbreaking research, interdisciplinary collaborations, and creative innovation, the school will implement measures such as creating a path to tenure for non-Ph.D. faculty with significant creative achievements, fostering cross-departmental research initiatives within The Media School and across IU, and securing external funding to expand graduate assistantships, fellowships, and research grants.
- Strengthen Community Engagement and Service: The Media School will deepen its commitment to community engagement through the formation of meaningful partnerships, introducing media literacy programs, community service storytelling projects, public-facing research projects that directly address community needs, and more.
The strategies are rooted in the school’s core values: bridging history, theory, and practice; ethics and integrity; creativity and innovation; inclusive excellence; collaboration and interdisciplinarity; global and local impact; and future-ready and adaptable.
Over 200 stakeholders — including Media School leadership, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and industry partners — contributed to the plan by sharing their insights through surveys, focus groups, forums, and interviews.
Implementation will begin immediately.