Michelle Baker

Michelle Baker is the Director of eLearning Initiatives in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications. In addition to teaching, Dr. Baker’s responsibilities include overseeing the College's online portfolio of undergraduate degrees, which includes a BA of Strategic Communications and a BA of Digital Journalism and Media, along with a Media Studies Minor and a Bachelor of Design in Digital Multimedia Design, which is offered in partnership with the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture and the College of Information Sciences and Technology.

Dr. Baker has been teaching both in-residence and online classes for Penn State since 2009, and she brings with her nearly 20 years of teaching and administrative experience in higher education. She also has experience working as a journalist and freelance writer, and she served as the assistant editor for Bucknell University’s alumni magazine.

For the online environment, Dr. Baker assists faculty in revising and developing courses that are both learner-centered and interactive to foster community among online learners. The College's online programs emphasize the development of real-world, professional skills through content and assignments that bridge to students’ future careers. In her research, Dr. Baker has a strong interest in the stigma reduction and explores the influence that religion and spirituality have on political and health decision making behavior.

• Interview with Michelle Baker