Strategic & Mass Communication

Aaron Burton, Ph.D.

Dr. Aaron Burton, Assistant Professor of Communications, earned a Ph.D. in Communication Studies, Foci: Rhetoric & Religion from Bowling Green State University. He earned a Master of Arts in Education from University of Findlay, a Bachelor of Science in Communication from Ohio University, and an Associate of Arts with concentration in Social Sciences also from Ohio University.

Since coming to Tiffin University he has served on The School of Arts & Sciences Internship Committee and will hold the position of Chair of Humanities Department beginning in the 2014 Academic Year.

Prior to becoming a faculty member at Tiffin University, Dr. Burton taught for nine years in Communications at Bowling Green State University in the Department of Communication and at Owens Community College.  At Bowling Green State University, he was Assistant Basic Course Direction in the School of Communication Studies.

Dr. Burton has written Jesus in the Movies: A Rhetorical Analysis of Selected Films from 1912-2004, Published by Edwin Mellen (2004). He has attended and presented at numerous workshops and national conferences.  He has served for eight years as an editorial board member for the Ohio Communication Journal. He is very active in several professor organizations and is a member of the National Communication Association, Central States Communication Association, Ohio Communication Association, Religious Communication Association, Graduate Communication, and the Midwest Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association.

Jan Samoriski, Ph.D., RN, EMT-P

Dr. Jan Samoriski (Ph.D., RN, EMT-P) joined the Tiffin University faculty in 2006 after ten years at the University of Michigan - Dearborn where he taught electronic media and served as Communications Chair and Director of Communications Program. At Tiffin University Samoriski has held appointments as Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and Dean of Graduate Studies.

Samoriski earned his undergraduate degree in broadcast journalism from Radford University and worked as a television producer and director at NBC-TV affiliates in Virginia and Massachusetts. He holds a Master of Science degree in Corporate and Professional Communication (Radford University), a Ph.D. in Mass Communication with an emphasis in telecommunications law and technology (Bowling Green State University) and an A.S.N in Nursing (Excelsior College). In addition to his academic degrees, Samoriski maintains certifications in Trauma Nursing (TNCC), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (ACLS), Basic Life Support (BLS) and NIH Stroke Certification.

Samoriski teaches across the communications curriculum in several areas, including oral communication, organizational, mass communication, electronic media, new media, social media, crisis and risk communication, media production and cyberspace law. He is author of numerous academic peer reviewed publications dealing with Internet issues pertaining to unsolicited commercial e-mail, electronic privacy, encryption, internet navigation, broadcast regulation and indecency and obscenity online. He is author of the first communication textbook to focus on cyberlaw, "Issues in cyberspace: Communication, Technology, Law and Society on the Internet Frontier,” (Allyn & Bacon, 2002). More recently, he published “Global Communication Law” in Global Communication (Roman & Littlefield, 2019) and “Encryption and Hacking: Cyphers, Hacks and Attacks on the Digital Frontier” in Reimagning Communication (Routledge, 2020).

Samoriski is a Registered Nurse (RN), Paramedic, Level II Firefighter, Master Scuba Driver and General Class Amateur Radio Operator. He has over 20-years of training and experience in emergency services and response (911), bioterrorism and hazardous materials.

As an RN, Samoriski has had assignments as a Travel Nurse and has worked at several regional hospital Emergency Departments. He is also active professionally as a freelance writer and communications consultant.

Colleen Vallo, Ph.D.

Dr. Colleen Vallo has been a member of the faculty at Tiffin University since 2006. She teaches courses in communication and journalism at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Vallo is also adviser of the campus newspaper. Before joining our faculty, Dr. Vallo taught at the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University. She previously worked in journalism reporting for weekly and daily newspapers, serving as a state-house correspondent in Columbus and working in public relations for public schools. Her teaching specialties include mass communication law, critical analysis of the media, and intercultural communication.