Note: Sarah Alior's questions have been bolded below, Dean Niles Goins' responses have not. 

Welcome to AU! I know you started your position as Dean of the School of Communication back in July when there were very few students on campus. How have you been familiarizing yourself with campus and what are you looking forward to as students return?

Thank you! I’m so glad to be here and have enjoyed being on campus and meeting with faculty, staff, students, and alumni. I received a lovely tour of the campus on my first day at AU and each day, I try to go somewhere different. I helped students move in, which was very helpful in figuring out where things are on campus. Move-in also signaled the official start of the hustle and bustle on campus for the fall semester! I’m looking forward to hearing the conversations and laughter all around campus, as well as seeing and hearing about all the wonderful successes that the students accomplish.

You mentioned the concept of equifinality, reaching the same end state using a variety of methods, in your 2016 convocation speech at Fresno State while discussing reaching the end of one goal and starting another. What are some of the accomplishments you’re most proud of from your previous positions and what is a goal of yours for this upcoming academic year?

I studied organizational culture in graduate school and one of my biggest accomplishments in my previous positions (as a Dean and professor) is strengthening the culture of the organizations that I have the honor to be a part of and lead. This is through a variety of methods, from getting to know the members of the organization and honoring their experiences, to starting new initiatives, to hiring new faculty and staff to recruiting new students. My goal at AU is to accomplish some of these same tasks, but not in the same manner, of course. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities that arise!

I also saw that you mentioned that your grandmother moved to the US from Jamaica. Have you ever visited Jamaica? How has her story impacted yours?

I hail from a Caribbean family, with my mother emigrating from Jamaica (along with her mother), and my father emigrating from Barbados. I visit both islands often with my family and I still have other family members who live there. Both of my parents instilled in my brothers and me a high value of education, which stemmed from their own upbringings.

As an alumna of Howard University and from your time at Marymount, where you were Dean of the College of Sciences and Humanities, you have spent a lot of time in the DMV! What are some of your favorite things to do in DC?

Eat! I enjoy a good Caribbean restaurant, but also have some favorite Thai and Indian restaurants in the area. Coming in a close second is exploring local museums with my family. The Smithsonian museums have become a family favorite.

Sarah Ailor and Dean Marnel Niles Goins

As a Dean, professor, businesswoman, NCA president, and mother, how do you find time for yourself? What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Real answer: Free time? What’s that?

Better answer: Even though I don’t always have a lot of time for myself, I try to make an intentional effort to enjoy a few moments of solitude every day. I enjoy hanging out with my immediate and extended family, as well as a good dinner with friends. I go to Philadelphia a lot, and am always up for a last minute flight to the Caribbean.

What advice would you give to a communication student who is struggling to find a specific area of study they enjoy?

I’ve two pieces of advice: first, take a variety of different communication courses - this helps you learn what each of our divisions offer and what “fits” with your interests and what may not fit as well. In undergrad, I started off studying public relations and moved to communication studies after taking a few classes. Second, get to know the faculty and staff in SOC! Stop by office hours, talk with them after class, or send them an email and learn about their careers in Communication and love for the discipline. This will aid in your decision making.

Why did you choose to earn your doctorate in organizational communication? What do you enjoy about it?

I really like sensemaking. I fell in love with organizational communication after I took one class in it in graduate school. Organizational communication allowed me to study how organizations made sense of inputs - whether it be people, processes, or external events - in order to create a productive organization and a positive culture. It allowed me to have an appreciation for chaos and conflict as well.

One of AU’s biggest student debates is whether The Bridge or The Dav is the better coffee shop. Have you been able to get coffee from either café?  What’s your go-to coffee order?

I’ve been to The Dav a few times, but I haven’t been to the Bridge yet (note to self)! I don’t drink much coffee, but my favorite order is a chai latte with oat milk.