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Professor Emeritus Gene Shelton retired in spring 2023. He served on the search committee that led to Dr. Todd Diacon becoming Â鶹ÊÓƵ's current President.

He was the recipient of the former School of Journalism and Mass Communication's The Robert G. McGruder Distinguished Leadership Award, the city of Akron's Judge Harold K. Stubbs Humanitarian Award for Distinguished Service in Education, the College of Communication and Information's Outstanding Scholar Award and Outstanding Teacher Award. In 2103 he received KSU's Diversity Trailblazer Award, the university's highest honor for advocating and advancing diversity.

He is a board member of Clazzical Notes, a Pasadena, CA non-profit that advances diversity through music education.

Prior to returning to KSU, Professor Shelton worked as a newspaper reporter, television host and magazine columnist. He spent more than 30 years in the record industry. He was Vice-President of Media Relations for Warner Bros. Records. He has worked for Motown and CBS Records. His many clients included Michael Jackson, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, Rick James, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Seal, Ice-T, Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys and Randy Meisner of The Eagles.