Dr. Miroslawa Wielopolska-Szymura

Dr. Miroslawa Wielopolska-Szymura will travel from her home in Poland to join the Department of Communication at the State University of New York at Fredonia as a Fulbright Scholar in Residence for the Spring 2024 semester.

Wielopolska-Szymura, an associate professor at the Institute of Journalism and Media Communication at the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland, has served as the deputy director of the Journalism and Social Communication degree program since 2020.

During her stay at SUNY Fredonia, she will teach two classes, “The Image of Journalism in Film” and “Propaganda and Manipulation as a Security Threat.”

Wielopolska-Szymura has served as the deputy director of the Journalism and Social Communication degree program at the University of Silesia since 2020. Much of her scholarship and teaching is dedicated to combating disinformation and fake news: a hot topic in today’s cultural climate. She has worked with the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. State Department, and is a member of the European Academy of Robert Schuman Foundation. She has also published widely on the topics of communication, media, and politics, including the politicization of press culture, the role of radio as a medium, media in service of the armed forces, and more.

The SUNY Fredonia administration is excited for the campus enrichment Wielopolska-Szymura’s residency will bring, and looks forward to assisting her in the continuation of her own research and studies. They note that she will be a wonderful addition to the department of Communication.

Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Andy Karafa added, “We are pleased to welcome Dr. Miroslawa Wielopolska-Szymura to Fredonia. Her areas of expertise are certainly timely, especially the politicization of press culture and fake news. I believe that individuals will find her international perspectives on these topics illuminating.”

Communication department Chair Roslin Smith noted, “We are very privileged for Dr. Wielopolska-Szymura to visit our village. She will be engaging in civic presentations such as at the Darwin R Barker Historical Museum, and I am hoping this cultural and academic exchange will strengthen our international relationship.”