Her Story
About Nadine
Nadine Barnett Cosby, Ph.D., is a higher education leader and communications scholar currently serving as Dean of the School of Communications at Quinnipiac University. In this role, she oversees academic and operational leadership for 31 full-time faculty, approximately 15 full-time staff, and a broad network of part-time instructors and staff. Her responsibilities include curriculum revision and development, program innovation, budgeting, and the expansion of experiential learning opportunities that connect students to real-world careers in media and communications. She has held this position for the past two years, building on a long-standing commitment to bridging academic learning with industry practice. Dr. Cosby has worked in higher education for approximately 15 years, entering the field as a second career after establishing herself in media and communications. She began as an adjunct instructor at Iona University, where she went on to serve as full-time faculty for more than a decade before transitioning into senior academic leadership roles, including Associate Provost and Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Development. During her time at Iona, she secured a National Endowment for the Humanities grant that supported the expansion of a Black Studies program, an initiative that continues to thrive and serve students today. Her scholarly and professional achievements also include being named a Fulbright International Scholar through the Fulbright Program in 2021, which enabled her to conduct international research and expand her global perspective on education and media systems. Her earlier career in media, film, and communications continues to inform her leadership style, particularly her emphasis on creativity, innovation, and nontraditional approaches to problem-solving. Across her career, she has remained committed to lifelong learning, continuously pursuing advanced education and professional development to stay aligned with the evolving media landscape, while championing the connection between academic programs and industry relevance.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nadine
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think I'm creative by nature. I came from a creative field, media and communications, and I think that a lot of my success is attributed to not being afraid to try new things, not being afraid to think outside of the box and focus on the connection between real-world careers and academia. My background in media gave me that creative edge that allows me to approach higher education differently, always looking for innovative ways to bridge what happens in the classroom with what students will actually experience in their careers.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
One of the things that a mentor shared with me, and it's always stuck with me, is to focus on doing what I think is the right thing to do, as opposed to what people may want me to do. That advice has guided me throughout my career, helping me stay true to my values and make decisions based on what I believe is right rather than simply trying to please others or conform to expectations.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say that confidence is critically important, and not in the cliche way. What I want to say is, when you're prepared and you know you've done the work, step into the room owning that preparation and not questioning the value of your voice, your worth in any environment, and what you know you bring to the table. Don't try to conform to what you think may be the expected norms in a particular place. Your difference is valuable to any space and role that you bring it to. Know your worth, be prepared, and then own that preparation without second-guessing yourself.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Right now, higher education is facing a lot of significant challenges, and I would say the biggest currently is maybe some misconceptions about the value of higher education, the value of a college degree. Also, academia overall is a system that deals with many different people from many different backgrounds, and that, in and of itself, can be challenging in terms of determining what's the best opportunity that can be created for a very diverse population of students and facilitated through a diverse population of faculty and staff, all with varying needs and perspectives.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
In my personal life, my priority is my faith. That's a value that guides me every day and in every decision that I've made. And in my professional life, I think the thing that I would value most, if I have to pick a single thing, is being true to who I am and never trying to be anyone else, or to conform to what might appear to be the expected norms. I value myself as an individual, and what my individual input brings to the role that I'm in at any given time, and the place that I work at any given time. My faith guides my personal decisions, and professionally, I stay authentic to who I am.
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