Faculty Spotlight
Chris Misun

By: Zoie Henson, student PR Intern

Chris Misun, a native of Ashland, Wis., joined the faculty of MSU’s Department of Communication in 2016 as a lecturer and then as full-time broadcast instructor 2.5 years ago. Misun received an Associate of Science in film and video production, a Bachelor of Science in entertainment business and a Master of the Arts in new media journalism, all from Full Sail University. He is currently serving as director of the Magnolia Independent Film Festival, which took place February 24-26, 2022. Misun was hired for this role in August and has enjoyed preparing for the festival and is excited to present the festival to the community.

Misun favorite part of working in the field of communication is the range of personalities that he gets to interact with. He says that there is no model for a communication student, which creates an exciting opportunity to work with all kinds of people.

Head of the Department of Communication, Dr. Terry Likes, had this to say about Misun, “Chris Misun has been a valuable addition to the department. Students and faculty value his professional media experience. He is part of a team improving the quality of our student media content, showing increasing results in a variety of national, regional and state student media competitions. He is now serving as the Director of the Magnolia Film Festival and has implemented new courses in Music Video Production and Creative Services Production. Chris is doing big things for MSU student media.”

Favorite memory in the Department of Communication?
It is hard to distinguish a favorite memory, but my proudest memory is from the Spring 2021 semester. At the end of the semester, I had been dealing with an injury that made it difficult to get to the classroom. The Take 30 students took command of the show that day 100% on their own. I would monitor their progress and answer questions from home, but they prepared and produced their show that day entirely on their own and being able to watch it live, from home, and see how wonderful they did was truly an amazing moment.

Best advice for communication students?
Embrace every opportunity you are presented with. College is such a short time in your life and you don't want to look back wondering, "what if..." 

If you didn’t work in communication, what could you see yourself doing?
If I wasn't working in communication, I would most likely be in creative somewhere, working on a production or development team.

Favorite part of being a professor?
Being able to interact with students on a daily basis is such a great part of the job. I'm thankful to have class sizes that allow me to get to know the students better, which makes it easier to connect with them when teaching challenging topics.
If you could only watch one film for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
The Empire Strikes Back, IYKYK

Favorite spot in Starkville?
I'm from Wisconsin, so here's the cheese... my favorite spot is at home with my family.

Do you have human or furry children?
I have a 6-year-old son, Parker, who is incredibly funny and too much like me for his own good. We also have a beagle, Billy Joel, and a Husky-Sheppard mix, Ahsoka Tano. (I don't acknowledge the cat (cue eye-roll from my wife))

Favorite place you’ve traveled?
I traveled around Italy in August 2018 with my family and it was an incredible experience. We went to Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Milan, then went to the Swiss Alps for a wedding.