Sheryl Kennedy Haydel

Dr. Sheryl Kennedy Haydel is a distinguished academic leader, communications strategist, and journalist with more than three decades of experience in higher education, professional communications, and public service. She currently serves as Dean of the College of Music and Media at Loyola University New Orleans, where she holds the Swanzy Endowed Professorship. In this role, she leads two dynamic schools—the School of Communication and Design and the School of Music and Theatre Professions—guiding nationally recognized programs that serve as cultural and creative anchors for New Orleans.

Before being appointed Dean in 2024, Dr. Haydel served as Interim Dean and, previously, as Associate Professor and Director of Loyola’s School of Communication and Design. Her leadership has focused on advancing innovative curricula, cultivating faculty excellence, supporting student success, and strengthening Loyola’s ties with alumni, donors, and community partners. Under her direction, the College has elevated its fundraising profile, expanded interdisciplinary collaboration, and deepened its commitment to preparing students for meaningful careers in media, theater, design, filmmaking, and communication.

Dr. Haydel’s academic career includes faculty appointments at Louisiana State University, Xavier University of Louisiana, Tulane University, the University of Southern Mississippi, Southern University at New Orleans, and Delgado Community College. At LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication, she held the G. Lee Griffin Distinguished Professorship, taught a range of Public Relations courses, and revived the student chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists. At Xavier, she spent nearly eight years shaping the mass communication program, teaching courses in strategic and crisis communication and news writing, and mentoring students who went on to thrive in competitive industries. Across her teaching career, she has been recognized for blending professional expertise with scholarly insight, ensuring that students are both industry-ready and critically engaged citizens.

In addition to her academic leadership, Dr. Haydel brings extensive experience in professional communications. She served as Director of Marketing and Communications at Dillard University, where she led award-winning campaigns, including the sesquicentennial celebration, and served as the university’s spokesperson. Her earlier career included communications roles at Entergy during the challenging periods of Hurricanes Ivan, Cindy, and Katrina; account leadership at the local boutique firm Brief & Company, where she managed public relations for corporate clients such as Hibernia; and a brand management internship at R.J. Reynolds.

Trained as a journalist, Dr. Haydel began her career as a reporter at major metropolitan newspapers, including the Austin American-Statesman, Chicago Tribune, Detroit News, and Detroit Free Press. Her reporting focused on education, healthcare, politics, and culture, earning recognition for her ability to capture complex narratives with clarity and precision. Her journalistic foundation continues to inform her research, teaching, and leadership.

Her scholarship centers on the Black press, media history, race, and representation. She has published peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Journalism History, American Journalism, and The Communication Review, and has contributed chapters to edited volumes on media literacy, gender, and political communication. Her forthcoming co-edited volume, Black Identities and Media in the Twenty-First Century (LSU Press), reflects her commitment to amplifying diverse voices in media studies.

Dr. Haydel is also a highly respected public scholar, frequently engaging community and faith-based audiences on issues of race, media, social justice, and leadership. She has curated public programs, including LSU’s Blackness and the Media mini-series. She has been a frequent contributor to local media outlets as a subject-matter expert in communications and social media.

Her leadership extends beyond the academy. She serves on the boards of the Louisiana Music & Heritage Experience, Propeller, and Live Oak Wilderness Camp. She actively engages with civic and service organizations, serving as President of the award-winning Pontchartrain (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, and as a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her professional memberships include the Page Society, the Public Relations Society of America, the American Journalism Historians Association, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the Junior League of New Orleans (sustainer).

A lifelong learner and mentor, Dr. Haydel has received numerous awards for teaching, scholarship, and professional excellence, including the Southern Public Relations Federation’s Spark Award for Practitioner of the Year and honors from the Public Relations Society of America. In 2025, she earned a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Public Relations Society of America’s New Orleans Chapter. She is also an alumna of prestigious leadership development programs, including the HERS Executive Coaching Circle, the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Fellowship, and the Ignatian Colleague Program.

Dr. Haydel earned her doctorate in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi; an MBA in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin–Madison; an M.A. in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Maryland; and a B.A. in Print Journalism from Clark Atlanta University. She holds the APR (Accredited in Public Relations) designation from the Universal Accreditation Board.

Throughout her career, Dr. Haydel has demonstrated a rare blend of academic leadership, professional expertise, and civic commitment. Whether in the classroom, newsroom, boardroom, or community, she remains dedicated to cultivating excellence, advancing equity, and preparing the next generation of communicators, artists, and leaders to walk with and stand for others.