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As dean of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Mark Lodato wants to lead with empathy. 

Lodato assumed the role of Newhouse dean on July 1, becoming the successor of former dean Lorraine Branham, who died in April 2019. He was previously the associate dean of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications. 

“Being a student today is more difficult than ever before,” Lodato said. “I think I’m doing the best I can if I’m relating and I’m trying my best to understand what those students are going through.”

With a student body facing the uncertainty of a pandemic and grappling with a nationwide reckoning over racism, Lodato aims to be an approachable and understanding leader. While transitioning into the position during the pandemic was challenging, Lodato’s colleagues said he took it in stride.

Hub Brown, associate dean for research, creativity, international initiatives and diversity at Newhouse, said Lodato adapted quickly during the leadership transition period and clearly laid out his plans for the school. Many of those plans included expanding diversity and inclusion initiatives in Newhouse, Brown said. 

“He is someone who has absolutely hit the ground running,” Brown said. “He’s really forward, he’s got great ideas that really dovetail with the future of our school.”

As dean of Newhouse, Lodato will manage the school’s financial resources and oversee curriculum and enrollment. He will also report to Interim Provost John Liu and serve on the Chancellor’s Council and the Academic Deans’ Cabinet.

The talent at Newhouse and the school’s wide-ranging curriculum led him to pursue the dean position, Lodato said.  

“Sometimes you have that feeling that it’s just a really good fit,” he said. “From the moment I arrived for my two- or three-day visits, I felt a really good connection with the faculty and staff and students that I met with.” 

Lodato accepted the role of Newhouse dean in late February after initially declining the position. At the time, he was one of four finalists applying to be dean of ASU, according to The State Press. 

His main priorities for Newhouse are promoting student success, increasing inclusivity and giving students access to leadership positions. 

“I think it’s acutely important that the leader of the school or college is someone that students see as someone they can approach, someone they can talk to, someone they can bring a problem to,” he said. “We may not always have the answer right away, but we’re going to listen and we’re going to do our very best to solve the problem.” 

Will Fudge | Staff Photographer

Since arriving at Newhouse, Lodato has expanded scholarship opportunities and established the Newhouse Dean’s Student Leadership Council, a group composed of the leaders of student organizations that voices concerns to Lodato during regular meetings. 

The biggest concerns students have expressed during the meetings involve access to information about classes and opportunities for real-world experience during the pandemic, Lodato said. He plans to address the latter by expanding connections with the Newhouse alumni base and companies in the communications industry. 

Lodato also plans to allocate a portion of the Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation’s $75 million pledge to Newhouse toward scholarship opportunities for new and current students, especially those from underrepresented groups. He plans to make an announcement detailing these scholarship opportunities within the next few weeks. 

“We want to make sure that we’ve set up the Newhouse School for generational success and this gift, and others, will allow us to do that,” he said. 

Lodato’s top priority over the summer was ensuring a successful start to the fall semester by preventing the spread of the coronavirus in the school.

Dona Hayes, an associate professor of broadcast and digital journalism, worked with Lodato on Newhouse’s COVID-19 response plan. The new dean has been calm and communicative with faculty members and students during a time of uncertainty, she said. 

“This is a very unpredictable virus,” she said. “But I think Mark’s leadership was instrumental in getting Newhouse to where we are today, to a place where we have a plan.”

Lodato earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a master’s degree in education from ASU. He began his career as a broadcast journalist, working as an investigative reporter, anchor and political correspondent across the country. 

He covered events ranging from presidential races to the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Lodato reported live from the Pentagon.

During his time as assistant dean at the Cronkite School, Lodato combined his passions for journalism and teaching. 

While at ASU, Lodato taught newscast production and television reporting courses and helped establish partnerships between the school and major media outlets, including ABC News and Fox Sports. He said he still serves as a mentor to many ASU students. 

“It’s a really unique, wonderful opportunity to be able to have a positive impact on someone as they’re making their way through school,” Lodato said. “To be able to do that and also inform your community.”

Lindsey Reiser, one of his former students and an MSNBC reporter, said Lodato brings out the best in his students.

“I think that this is a long time coming,” she said. “I feel like he was meant for this role many years ago, and I think he’s going to take the program to new heights and see it into the future. He really has a vision for what the present-day journalism school needs to be.”

Christopher Callahan, the founding dean of the Cronkite School, said Lodato is one of the best journalism educators he’s worked with and was central to the school’s success. 

What stuck out to Callahan about Lodato was how much he advocated for students. Lodato’s first question before making decisions as an administrator was, ‘How will this help students?,’ Callahan said.

Jim Jacoby, director of studio production at the Cronkite School, said Lodato’s thoughtfulness and leadership make him a good fit for Newhouse. 

“I think the combination of all (his qualities) makes him a great leader during this time where there’s so much uncertainty,” Jacoby said. “You can kind of steer the ship and calm everybody down a little bit and then guide you guys till the finish line whenever that comes over.” 

Lodato hopes to continue the work of former Newhouse deans, especially Branham. He wants to move forward in a way that would make Branham proud, and he wants to do so with the help of Newhouse students and faculty.

He also wants to steer Newhouse into the future and stay at the forefront of a communications industry undergoing rapid change.

“The only way we’re going to continue to be able to hold the powerful accountable is with a free press,” he said. “Sure, there are plenty of problems to solve within journalism but it’s an important part of our country and our democracy. And there’s really no one thing more important at the Newhouse School.”

Published on September 13, 2020 at 11:47 pm

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21