Dean Jackson of Penn's School of Social Policy & Practice was named new Annenberg Dean Tuesday

The position of Dean of Penn's Annenberg School for Communication will be filled by current Dean John L. Jackson, Jr. of Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice, according to an announcement from President Amy Gutmann and Provost Wendell Pritchett Feb. 6.

Jackson will assume the role of Annenberg's dean on Jan. 1, 2019. He will continue in his present position as Dean of Penn’s SP2, which he has held since 2014, until then. 

The current dean of Annenberg, Michael X. Delli Carpini, has served in his position since 2003. A search committee for his replacement was created last October, and Carpini has decided to extend his term to the end of the year so Jackson can transition well into his new role at Penn.

Jackson is a renowned author and film producer, and has covered themes and issues surrounding race relation and identity. He has also taught courses in Africana Studies and Anthropology department in the College. 

"As a Dean and in his own scholarly work," Gutmann and Pritchett said, "John [Jackson] has consistently harnessed the power of diverse, interdisciplinary teams – and driven mutually beneficial collaborations between the liberal arts and the professions – to better understand and address society’s most timely and challenging questions."

Jackson joined Penn in 2006 as the school's first Penn Integrates Knowledge University Professor, which was established through a program to recruit faculty who have "appointments" in at least two Penn schools.

"John Jackson has the experience, vision, and collaborative spirit to help ensure Annenberg’s continued place among the world’s preeminent research and teaching programs in communication," Gutmann and Pritchett said. "As a longtime Annenberg faculty member, we know that John will work very well indeed with the School’s faculty, students, staff, and alumni in the years ahead."