Lee Bush

Professor of Strategic Communications

Schar Hall- Communications Bld, Office 202C 2850 Campus Box Elon, NC 27244

Brief Biography

Lee Bush is a professor of Strategic Communications at Elon University, where she has taught for 20 years at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, and a former advertising/PR agency executive. She has been a pioneer in the development and research of student-run communications agencies, founding Elon’s student-run agency (Live Oak Communications) in 2007 and publishing extensive research in the Journal of Advertising Education, Journal of Public Relations Education, Public Relations Review, Journalism and Mass Communication Educator, and PR News, as well as presenting on numerous conference panels. In 2018, she coauthored and published The Student-Run Agency: Transitioning from Student to Professional (Bush, Ranta, & Vincent, 2018), the first ever textbook designed for students working in student-run agencies.

Her most recent work and research interest is in infusing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into academic curricula. She has published a paper in the Journal of Public Relations Education on applying DEI accreditation standards to a strategic communications curriculum (Bush & Bravo, 2023) and is coauthor of a forthcoming book, DEI in Strategic Communications: Becoming Culturall Proficient Communicators, to be publishedin in the fall of 2024. At Elon, she has worked across the university to infuse DEI into the curriculum, including receiving two Diversity & Inclusion Grants, co-chairing Elon’s DEI Curriculum Working Group, serving as chair of the School of Communications Inclusive Excellence Committee, and participating in a faculty exchange with North Carolina A&T State University. She was instrumental in introducing and gaining faculty approval for a new Advancing Equity Requirement at Elon as part of the university’s Core Curriculum. She is currently teaching Inclusive Communications, a new required course in the School of Communications.

Prior to Elon, Professor Bush spent 18 years in the advertising and PR industry, most recently as Senior Vice President of Ketchum Communications in Chicago and as Senior Vice President of Ogilvy Public Relations in both Chicago and London. She specialized in brand marketing and worked for clients including Quaker Oats, Kimberly-Clark, Jim Beam Brands, IBM, BP, Eurotunnel, Wendy’s, and Unilever. She has an M.S. in Communications from Northwestern University and a B.A. in Communications from Missouri Western State University.

News & Notes

Education

M.S. Communications, Northwestern University, 2003

B.A. Communications, Missouri Western State University, 1984
Concentration: Public Relations

Courses Taught

Communications in a Global Age

Strategic Research Methods

Public Relations and Civic Responsibility

Strategic Campaigns

Creative Thinking and Problem Solving

Organizational Communications

Corporate Capstone

Leadership Positions

SOC Inclusive Excellence Committee, Chair (2021-22)

DEI Curriculum Working Group, Co-Chair (2021)

Senior Faculty Review Committee, Chair, 2021

Academic Council: Chair (2020-21); Chair-Elect (2019-20)

Elon 2030 Strategic Planning Working Group, Elon’s Dynamic Work Environment, Co-Chair, 2018-19

Elon Women’s Forum Employee Resource Group, Co-Leader, 2018-19

Publications

Bush, L. (2022). Chapter: Understanding audiences. In J. Ranta (Ed), Introduction to PR, advertising, and strategic communications principles. San Diego, CA: Cognella, (scheduled for publishing in 2023).

Bush, L., Ranta, J., & Vincent, H. (2018). The student-run agency: Transitioning from student to professional. Dubuque, IA: Kendall Hunt Publishing.

Ranta, J., Davis, D., Bush, L., Vincent, H., & Fondren, W. (2021). Student-run agencies best practices: Replicating professionalism – matching the what with the why and the how. Journal of Public Relations Education, 7(2), 106-141.

Haygood, D., Vincent, H., & Bush, L. (2019). Getting the job in advertising: Hiring decision makers’ perceived value of student-run communications agency experience for recent graduates. Journal of Advertising Education, 23(1), 22-38.

Bush, L., Haygood, D. & Vincent, H. (2017). Student-run communications agencies: Providing students with real-world experiences that impact their careers. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 72, 410-424.

Bush, L. (2015). Ten considerations for developing and maintaining a student-run communications agency. Journal of Advertising Education, Spring 2015.

Bush, (2014). Creating our own line-up: Identities and shared cultural norms of surfing women in a U.S. East Coast community. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, Online First Edition, November 12, 2014; published in the print edition in 2016, 45(3), 290-318.

Bush, L. & Miller, B. (2011). U.S. student-run agencies: Organization, attributes and advisor perceptions of student learning outcomes. Public Relations Review, 37(5), 485-491.

Branston, K. & Bush, L. (2010). The nature of online social good networks and their impact on nonprofit organisations and users. PRism Journal, 7(2).

Bush, L. (2009). Student public relations agencies: A qualitative study of the pedagogical benefits, risks, and a framework for success. Journalism & Mass Communication Educator, 64(1), 27-38.

Presentations

Shanler, A., Bush, L., Swanson, D., Grant, C., Ranta, J., & Hernandez, T. (2020, Aug. 5). Student-run integrated media agencies: Perspectives and best practices from the OG’s and newbies [Panel Presenter]. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, virtual.

Bush, L., Malone, K., McCullough, C., Ranta, J., & Wilson, H. (2020, Jan. 24). Job ready: Using student-run agencies and campaigns courses to teach soft skills [Panel Presenter]. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Pre-Conference, virtual.

Bush, L., Ranta, J., & Vincent, H. (2019, May 29). Branding and Promoting Student-Run Agencies: Preparing Students for the Field and Preparing the Field for Students [Panel Presenter]. Integrated Marketing Communication Conference, UNCW, Wilmington, NC.

Bolduc, B., Bush, L., Persuit, J., Ranta, J., & Vincent, H. (2018, Sept. 28). Student-run agencies and their role in accelerating students’ careers in communication [Panel Presenter]. Carolina Communications Association Conference, Queens University, Charlotte, NC.

Bush, L., Persuit, J., Ranta, J., & Vincent, H. (2018, March 9). Student-run agencies: Building students’ professional identities and boosting career confidence [Panel Moderator]. Conference on Applied Learning in Higher Education, UNCW, Wilmington, NC.

Ranta, J., Bush, L., & Vincent, H. (2017, June 1). Teaching IMC to the selfie generation: Leveraging aspects of popular culture and communications [Panel Presenter]. Integrated Marketing Communication Conference, UNCW, Wilmington, NC.

Bush, L., Haygood, D., & Vincent, H. (2016, Aug. 3). Student-run communications agencies: Providing students with real-world experiences that impact their careers [Paper Presenter]. Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, Minneapolis, MN.

Bush, L. (2013, Oct. 15). Creating our own lineup: Identities and shared cultural norms of surfing women in a U.S. East Coast community [Paper Presenter]. International Organization of Social Science and Behavioral Research Conference, New Orleans, LA. Received Best Paper Award.

Bush, L. & Miller, B. (2011, August). U.S. student-run agencies: Organization, attributes and learning outcomes [Paper Presenter]. Associate for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Conference, St. Louis, MO. Received top paper award in the PR Education Division.

Bush, L. (2006, March). PR Practitioner as Consumer Agent [Paper Presenter]. Ninth Annual International Public Relations Conference, Miami, FL.

Awards

Diversity & Inclusion Grant, 2021, Elon University

Best Paper Award, 2013
International Organization of Social Science and Behavioral Research

Recipient of the National Communications Association PRIDE Award, 2012

Top Paper Award, PR Teaching Division, 2011
Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication

Diversity Infusion Grant, 2011
Elon University

Honorable Mention, 2011
NC PRSA Inspire Awards, awarded to Live Oak Communications

Best Web Site and Best Event, 2010
Triad PRSA Spinks Awards, awarded to Live Oak Communications

Excellence in Leadership Award, 2009
School of Communications, Elon University

Community Friends Award, 2008
EarthShare North Carolina, awarded to Live Oak Communications