Tom Grier, of Winona, will be recognized by Winona State University with the Distinguished Faculty and Staff Award Friday, Sept. 25, as a part of the university’s Homecoming celebration.
Dr. Tom Grier came to Winona State University in 1987 after working in professional radio for 12 years. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication-advertising and a minor in business administration. Grier earned a master of arts in English language and literature from WSU in 1997 and doctor of education in education policy and administration from the University of Minnesota in 2001. He was hired as WSU Director of University Communication as an undergraduate and served in that role from 1989-2006, overseeing the university’s marketing and communications plan. In 2006, Grier moved to a faculty position as an associate professor of mass communication. He was named WSU Professor of the Year in 2007-08 and 2013-14 and WSU E-Professor of the Year in 2005-06. Grier founded the Navajo Oral History Project in collaboration with Diné College in 2005. The documentary films, focusing on the lives of Navajo elders, are archived in the Smithsonian Institution of the American Indian. He has also co-authored four books for the Winona State University press and numerous articles for local, regional, and national publications.
