About Battinto L. Batts Jr.

Battinto L. Batts Jr. is a native of Ettrick, Virginia. Professor Batts developed a love for writing at a very early age, using the written word as a form of entertainment and escape from boredom. He embraced writing as a career late in high school, when he became the editor of the Matoaca High School newspaper. He won the Best News Story Award in the 1985 Dow Jones Newspaper Funds Urban Journalism Workshop, a program that exposed minority high school students to the world of journalism. Battinto enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he majored in Mass Communications with a concentration in newspapers. He also holds a master of arts in media management from Norfolk State University, and is completing his doctorate in higher education management at Hampton University. Professor Batts research focuses on social media in higher education. Professor Batts had a 20-year career in journalism, working at five newspapers (Richmond Times-Dispatch, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Daily Press, Virginian-Pilot, Tampa Bay Times) as a reporter or editor. He also worked in circulation marketing at The Virginian-Pilot, where he oversaw the Newspapers in Education program and ePilot. Battinto began teaching journalism courses at Hampton University in 2001, and joined the faculty full time in 2007. He served as an assistant professor in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications for three years before being appointed the director of the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute.

SUMMARY: Higher education administrator and instructor in the areas of media and leadership development. Seasoned journalist, content developer and media entrepreneur with (3) mobile applications published in Apple iTunes store. A marketing and public relations strategist, offering client solutions through mobile, Internet, video, and print platforms. SKILLS: Academic curriculum development, assessment and student Advising; Apple iPhone Application Development, Adobe CS5, WordPress; Final Cut Pro, Photography, Video; Strategic Public Relations and Marketing EDUCATION: Bachelor of Science in Mass Communications, Virginia Commonwealth University (1990); Master of Arts in Media and Communications, Norfolk State University (2006); Doctorate of Philosophy in Higher Education Management, Hampton University, projected May 2013

CURRENT EXPERIENCE:

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY: Director of the William R. Harvey Leadership Institute/Adjunct Professor in the Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications William R. Harvey Leadership Institute:Chief administrator for a department with 100 students and three faculty members. Responsible for strategic planning, student recruitment, academic standards and conduct enforcement, curriculum development, external engagement, distribution of scholarship funds. Manage annual national Student Leadership Summit. Teach courses on leadership development. Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications:Teach news writing and editing, focusing on Internet content development and delivery. Adviser to student newspaper, The Hampton Script ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY: Scripps Howard Media Entrepreneurship Fellow Selected from an international pool of applicants to study new media platforms and instruction of media entrepreneurship in higher education at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. MEDIA CONSULTANT: Clients have included a global Internet media company, the American Cancer Society; senior living and after care

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PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:

HAMPTON UNIVERSITY (August 2007-November 2010): Assistant Professor in Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications: Taught undergraduate courses focusing on ethics in media, including advertising, editorial and online. Developed websites and content, including video for the Internet. RUBIN COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (January 2009-July 2009): Senior Account Manager: Provided public relations, crisis communications, strategic marketing and event management for clients at Virginia Beach-based firm. THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (May 2004-December 2008) e-Pilot Manager: Grew daily digital subscription base through marketing and advertising efforts; developed strategies to reduce newspaper distribution costs Newspapers in Education Manager: Oversaw daily distribution of 30,000 newspapers to local K-12 schools; coordinated marketing and fulfillment; negotiated and executed vendor contracts. Circulation Staff Development Manager: Researched and devised strategies to help increase net paid circulation; developed new products aimed at growing market coverage; recruited and trained distributors, sales representatives and customer service staff. Business Writer: Wrote stories about commercial and industrial real estate, economic development, the business of sports and entertainment and general assignment. NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY (January 2007-December 2008) Adjunct Professor: Taught news writing and media ethics courses in the Department of Mass Communications ST. PETERSBURG TIMES (July 2003-May 2004) Assistant City Editor: Supervised five reporters and award-winning metro columnist. HAMPTON UNIVERSITY (December 2001-May 2003) Adjunct Professor: Taught Media Ethics and Introduction to News Writing

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT (August 1996-July 2003) City Editor: Supervised five reporters, an assistant editor, and a columnist. Assistant Sports Editor: Led a team of six reporters. Night Metro Editor: Responsible for evening operations of metro section. City Hall Reporter: Covered municipal government beat. THE DAILY PRESS (March 1996-August 1996) Higher Education Reporter: Covered public and private higher education in Virginia SOUTH FLORIDA SUN-SENTINEL (July 1993-March 1996) Reporter: Covered K-12 education, city government, community development and sports. RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH (May 1990-July 1993) Police Reporter: Covered law enforcement in the Richmond metropolitan area.