Former UK journalism, law professor dies
March 3, 2015
By Will Wright
Former chair of the UK School of Journalism Dwight L. Teeter died on Friday in Knoxville, Tenn., at 80 years old.
Teeter was an adjunct professor of law in the mid-1970s and also taught journalism courses at UK, according to the University of Tennessee’s website.
After teaching at the University of Wisconsin, Teeter came to Kentucky and developed a deep relationship with the Kernel and other media organizations on campus, said Nancy Green, a former Kernel adviser.
“There were many nights that he came down to the Kernel office … to talk to the students,” Green said. “Certainly the faculty in those days, and I’m sure it’s true today, were very mindful of the Kernel. They were very involved with students.”
One of Teeter’s former students and current journalist in residence at UK, John Winn Miller, said Teeter helped secure his first job after college.
“I had no internships and no prospects,” Miller said, but Teeter nonetheless found him an internship at Rome Daily, an English publication in Italy’s capital.
“He was always doing stuff like that,” Miller said. “He was a fantastic teacher and very engaged with the students.”
Teeter went on to become Dean of the College of Communications at Tennessee in 1991. He co-authored a number of textbooks used in journalism programs throughout the country, according to Tennessee’s website.
“Dwight was very active in the journalism community nationally,” Green said. “His impact in the communication (community) is significant within the United States and abroad.”
