Celebrating the 55th Anniversary of the Cathy Hughes School of Communications

Welcome to the Cathy Hughes School of Communications at Howard University!

As the third largest of Howard University’s 14 schools and colleges, the Cathy Hughes School of Communications has spent more than five decades preparing generations of media and communication professionals to lead, create, inform, advocate, and shape the way we understand the world around us. Through our programs in public relations, advertising, audio production, journalism, media management, film and television, legal communication, communication sciences and disorders, and graduate studies, we continue a proud tradition of academic excellence while preparing our students for an ever-evolving communications landscape.

This year holds special significance for our School.

Fifty-five years ago, the Howard University School of Communications was founded under the leadership of our first dean, the late Tony Brown. Today, as the Cathy Hughes School of Communications, we proudly celebrate the vision that established this School, the generations who have strengthened it, and the remarkable community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters who continue to carry its legacy forward.

Beyond 55

Throughout this milestone year, we are commemorating our 55th anniversary through Beyond 55, a yearlong celebration of where we have been, who we are, and where we are going. Through events on and off campus, we are creating opportunities to reconnect with our alumni, celebrate the accomplishments of our community, engage our students, and honor the people and moments that have shaped the School over the past 55 years.

55th Anniversary Giving Campaign

Our anniversary is also an opportunity to invest in what comes next. Through our 55th Anniversary Giving Campaign, we invite our alumni, friends, and supporters to participate in strengthening the School for future generations. Every gift represents more than a contribution—it is an affirmation of the School’s continued impact and an investment in the students, programs, and possibilities that will carry CHSOC beyond its 55th year.

As we celebrate, I invite you to stay connected with us throughout the year. Follow our social media platforms, periodically visit our website, attend an anniversary event, reconnect with fellow alumni, support our giving campaign, and share in the stories and achievements of the CHSOC community.

Our 55th anniversary gives us an important opportunity to reflect on an extraordinary legacy, but Beyond 55 is also a declaration of where we are headed. The communications landscape will continue to change, and our responsibility is to ensure that Howard remains at the forefront—educating the next generation of communicators, advancing scholarship and innovation, and preparing our students to shape the industries and communities they will serve.

I am grateful to everyone who has been part of our story, and I look forward to celebrating this milestone year with you.

Dr. Kimberly Moffitt, Dean and Professor

Please check back periodically as we add events for students, alumni and our donor partners.