Wilson named USC Annenberg Communication dean

Jet, May 14, 2007

Ernest James Wilson III was named dean of the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication. He takes office July 1.

Wilson, an author and researcher, also will hold his current post as the Walter H. Annenberg Chair in Communication, which honors the late Ambassador and billionaire publisher Walter H. Annenberg.

Wilson, who currently works in a joint position at the University of Maryland, College Park, as a professor of government and politics, as well as African-American studies, also serves as a senior member of the board of directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Wilson has held several other positions at the national level, including service at the National Security Council at the White House, the Office of the Director of the U.S. Information Agency, and Global Information Infrastructure Commission.

Wilson earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard College and doctorate and master's degrees from the University of California, Berkeley.

The D.C. native is married to Francille Rusan Wilson. They have two sons.