Marilyn S. Roberts, joined ZU in 2009 from  the University of Florida, where she had served as Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the College of Journalism and Mass Communication. She was honored three times as the top Doctoral Dissertation Mentor/Adviser and selected International Educator of the Year. She served as an adjunct faculty member at Florida’s Warrington College of Business and as affiliated faculty in the Center for Latin American Studies. After earning her Ph.D. in Advertising from the University of Texas at Austin, she began her academic career at The Ohio State University School of Journalism.  Dr. Roberts earned her Master’s of Arts in Mass Communication from Abilene Christian University, Texas. In 2000 she received ACU’s Gutenberg Award for superior professional achievement. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Journalism from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas. Dr. Roberts’ research interests include international advertising, global brand building, cross-cultural advertising, intermedia agenda setting influence and political communications. 

Her co-authored book, Television Advertising that Works: An Analysis of Commercials from Effective Campaigns, was published in 2008. Her research has appeared in numerous publications, including: Journal of Interactive Advertising, Journal of Advertising, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, International Journal of Strategic Communication, and International Journal of Sport Communication. She began her career as a television advertising copywriter and later operated her own advertising and public relations agency. She is on the editorial board of the Journal of Advertising Education.