Headshot of Jessica Gisclair

Jessica Gisclair

Associate Professor of Strategic Communications

Department: Isabella Cannon Global Education Center

Office and address: Schar Hall- Communications Bld, Office 208D 2850 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Phone number: (336) 278-5722

Professional Expertise

Curriculum Design/Program Management/University Leadership

Brief Biography

Professor Jessica Gisclair brings three decades of academic experience to the classroom, teaching strategic communications, and media law and ethics courses, including a law and literature course. She is a 2020 Fulbright U.S. Scholar to China, Shanghai International Studies University (the visit was interrupted due to the pandemic). Her research focuses on Mainland China as a global economic leader and the influence of new technology on China's ability to compete in international markets. She was granted a 2024 sabbatical to examine the effects of China’s quick leap forward to become the world leader in artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. Professor Gisclair is active in the profession through ACEJMC, serving as a member of accreditation site teams for evaluating professional journalism and mass communications programs in colleges and universities, and through her role as a long-time board member to the Sunshine Center of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition. She is the faculty-in-residence at the International Living Learning Community in the Global Neighborhood and serves as Interim Assistant Dean of the Global Education Center. Professor Gisclair served as the department chair of the largest department at Elon University from 2010 to 2019 and as assistant chair from 2009 to 2010. Her professional experience includes corporate communications and non-profit public relations. 

News & Notes

Education

University of Toledo, Toledo, OH

  • Juris Doctor: Constitutional and Media Law

University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS           

  • Master of Science: Communication and Public Relations          

Nicholls State University, Thibodaux, LA                                                                 

  • Bachelor of Arts: Communication and Journalism

Employment History

 

Interim Assistant Dean of Global Education, Elon University, Elon, NC, July - December 2025

  • Act as primary administrator for academic-related tasks in global education.

  • Provide support for faculty in course content and pedagogical practices.

  • Manage and supervise four professional staffers.  

Associate Professor, Elon University, Elon, NC, September 2000 - Present

  • Instruct communication, press rights, and law courses including media law and ethics, and crime fiction through law, politics, social-economic status, and survival agendas of the suspects.

Department Chair and Associate Professor, Elon University, Elon, NC, September 2010 – 2019

  • Managed a department of 50 full-time faculty members with five undergraduate majors that represented 21% of the campus student population. Scheduled 140 courses each semester. Instruct undergraduate courses in public relations and media law and ethics.

Assistant Department Chair, Elon University, Elon, NC, September 2009-2010

  • Assisted Department Chair in managing department matters including scheduling courses, student concerns, faculty development, chairing several departmental committees, annual departmental reports, and other duties as assigned.

Assistant Professor, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, September 1998 - June 2000

  • Instruct graduate and undergraduate public relations, writing, and communication law courses. Co-advise a national award-winning Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter. 

 

Courses Taught

  • Teaches introductory and upper-level courses in the School of Communications and Elon Core Curriculum. Instructs communication, press rights, and law courses including crime fiction through a legal lens, and public speaking and presentation.
  • Served as faculty-in-residence for the Elon University Florence Center in fall 2021, and London Centre in fall 2011.
  • Teaching experience includes private, public, and international institutions, such as the University of Curaçao, that span more than 30 years in the classroom.
  • Teaching development: University of North Carolina Law School: Festival of Legal Learning, 2020 and 2015; CIEE: International Faculty Development Seminar, Digital Teaching Tools: Exploring Culture, Communication, & Community, Seville, Spain, 2017; and, Poynter Institute: Teachapalooza, 2015. 

Leadership Positions

Academic Leadership

  • Leadership Studies Advisory Board, 2022-present.
  • Faculty-in-Residence Advisor to the International Living Learning Community in the Global Neighborhood, 2020-present.
  • Site Team Member of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, 2016-present.
  • Elon Core Curriculum Committee Chair, 2022-23.
  • Department Chair of the largest department at Elon University with 50 full-time faculty members and 1,000 majors 2010-19 and as assistant chair 2009-10.
  • Leadership Training: Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications Site Team Member Training, 2016; ACE Spectrum Aspiring Leaders Program, 2016; Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy at Louisiana State University, 2013; American Council on Education Department Leadership Workshop: Chairing the Academic Department, 2010; and, Center for Creative Leadership: Foundations for Leadership, 2009. 

Professional Leadership

  • Board Secretary to the North Carolina Open Government Coalition 2020-present. 
  • Former President of the Tar Heel Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in 2012 and as the Former Vice President of Ethics, 2008-10.
  • Professional Membership: North Carolina Open Government Coalition, PRSA National Chapter, and PRSA North Carolina Chapter.  

Research

  • Current research investigates the possible uses and effects of AI in China along with its global partners, primarily the United States and the European Union. 
  • Research-in-progress provides an analysis of Chinese crime fiction’s reflection of cultural identity and modernity, encompassing themes such as law, politics, and socioeconomic status, which are typical of the genre. 
  • Previous research focused on China's compliance with intellectual property rights and open source vs. proprietary source software for developing countries. 
  • Exploratory research connects to her Fulbright Scholar award on topics such as counterfeits and China's Shanzhai culture's impact on IPR compliance.

Current Projects

  • Current research examines the potential applications and impacts of AI in China, as well as its collaborations with global partners, primarily the United States and the European Union. 
  • Research-in-progress provides an analysis of Chinese crime fiction’s reflection of cultural identity and modernity, encompassing themes such as law, politics, and socioeconomic status, which are typical of the genre. 

Grants Awarded

  • Elon University Post-Probationary Faculty Development Support, 2022-23.
  • Summer Research Fellowship, Elon University, 2023.
  • Elon University 1/2 year Sabbatical Support, Spring 2024. 
  • U.S. Fulbright Scholar to China Spring 2020 (visit was interrupted due to the pandemic).

Publications

  • Gisclair, J. A Journey of Hope, Resilience, and Joy: Contemplations About China, Post COVID-19, Fulbright in a Time of COVID: Essays by US Fulbrighters in Asia, 2019-20 (April 27, 2021). Kindle Edition, Self-publication, pp. 138-146.
  • Gisclair, J. A place for mixed-source technology in China. Southeast Review of Asian Studies, Volume 38 (2016), pp. 57-62.
  • Gisclair, J. The dissonance between culture and intellectual property in China, Southeast Review of Asian Studies, Volume 30 (2008), pp. 182-187.
  • Gisclair, J. The challenges of working with student respondents, Asian Studies Newsletter, Association for Asian Studies, Inc., (Winter 2005). 

Presentations

  • Gisclair, J. (2024). Chasing innovation: China’s race to dominate AI, Popular Culture/American Culture Association in the South, Greenville, NC. 
  • Gisclair, J. et al. (October 2023). Promoting belonging and community by integrating engaged learning, social connectedness, and diverse citizenship, Residential College Symposium, Virginia Tech University, Roanoke, VA. 
  • Gisclair, J. et al. (September 2023). Preparing students to be literate and critical AI users, Limed: Teaching with a Twist Podcast, Elon University, Elon, NC.
  • Gisclair, J. et al. (June 2021). Roundtable on women academic leaders during challenging times, Popular Culture National Conference (virtual), Boston, MA.
  • Gisclair, J. (October 2018). Educational design thinking: Disrupt the familiar narrative of study abroad, Popular Culture/American Culture Association, New Orleans, LA.
  • Gisclair, J., Ceballos, O., Ceron, D., & Burress, B. (May 2018). Global competence and disruptive narratives in the digital age, NAFSA: Association of International Educators 70th Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Gisclair, J. (October 2016). Keeping pace with China’s progress towards intellectual property law, South Regional Conference of PCAS/ACAS, Nashville, TN.
  • Gisclair, J. (January 2016). A place for mixed-source technology in China: Bye, bye Microsoft? 55th Annual Meeting of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Harrisonburg, VA.
  • Gisclair, J. (January 2015). China's progress in intellectual property law compliance, 54rd Annual Meeting of the Southeast Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Charlottesville, VA.
  • Gisclair, J. (2009). Beauty exposed: A survey of traditional values, Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs, Oxford, OH.
  • Gisclair, J. (2008). Keep the pirates at bay: The positive influence of open source software in developing countries, Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Boulder, CO.
  • Book, C., Gisclair, J., Grady, D., & Ling, S. (2003). A grounded theory analysis of Internet usage among university students in Mainland China, Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies, Phoenix, AZ.
  • Book, C., Gisclair, J., Grady, D., & Ling, S. (2003). Building a foundation for further testing: Chinese university students media and Internet activity, Top Paper Award, International Division of the Broadcast Educators Association, Las Vegas, NV.
  • Book, C., Gisclair, J., Grady, D., & Ling, S. (2002). Uses and gratifications: Building a knowledge base of Internet usage among Mainland China university students, Southern States Communication Association Conference, Winston-Salem, NC.
  • Book, C., Gisclair, J., Grady, D., & Ling, S. (2002). A descriptive study of Chinese university students self-reported Internet usage, Pacific Asian Communication Association Conference, Seoul, South Korea.

Professional Activities

  • Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications Site Team Member
  • Sunshine Center of the N.C. Open Government Coalition Board Member
  • National Public Relations Society of America and PRSA North Carolina Member

Service Activities

  • Leadership Studies Advisory Board, 2022-present.
  • Faculty-in-Residence Advisor to the International Living Learning Community in the Global Neighborhood; LLC Advisory Committee (2020-present)
  • Communications Core Advisory Committee (2023)
  • Elon Core Curriculum Committee (2020-23); Chair (2022-2023)

Skills

  • Program Management
  • Strategic Planning
  • Curriculum Design
  • University Teaching
  • Classroom Management
  • Academic Advising

Professional Development

  • University of North Carolina Law School: Festival of Legal Learning, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 2020, 2015

  • CIEE: International Faculty Development Seminar, Digital Teaching Tools: Exploring Culture, Communication, & Community, Seville, Spain, 2017

  • Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications Site Team Member, Chicago, Illinois, since 2016

  • ACE Spectrum Aspiring Leaders Program, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2016
  • Poynter Institute: Teachapalooza, St. Petersburg, Florida, 2015
  • Scripps Howard Academic Leadership Academy, New Orleans, Louisiana, 2013

Awards

  • Regular Research Sabbatical, Elon University, (Spring 2024)
  • Summer Research Fellowship, Elon University, (2023)
  • Living Learning Community Program of the Year, Elon University, (2023-24)
  • Living Learning Community Advisor of the Year, Elon University, (2022-23)
  • Competitive Post-Probationary Faculty Development Support (Fall 2022)
  • Fulbright U.S. Scholar to China, Shanghai International Studies University (Spring 2020)
  • School of Communications Distinguished Service Recognition (2019)
  • School of Communications Faculty Excellence for Teaching Award (2012) 
  • PRSA Tar Heel Chapter, Spinks Award: Leadership & Professionalism (2012)
  • School of Communications Excellence in Leadership Honor (2007)