Debra Price Faculty Highlight
Debra Price brings decades of journalism and public relations experience to the classroom.
Debra Price, an assistant professor of practice in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University, brings a career spanning journalism, public relations, and advertising into the classroom. As she begins her tenth year at Texas State, she uses her professional experience to prepare students for careers in strategic communication and connect them with the industry they are about to enter.
Price early in her career as a journalist.
What were you doing professionally before you became a professor?
Price’s career began in journalism. After earning her degree in the field, she spent 10 years in New York City working in magazine publishing for some of the industry’s largest companies.
She later became a freelance writer and author, specializing in travel writing, arts and antiques, and interior design, before transitioning fully into public relations, the field she calls her “bread and butter.” Price specialized in public relations for arts organizations, museums, and nonprofits and eventually launched her own consulting business.
“My background is a mix of journalism and PR, with a little advertising thrown in, which makes me very helpful to students as they navigate their careers,” Price said. “Journalism and public relations are my two anchors, and I use them to help students understand the industry from multiple perspectives.”
Two roles remain central to how Price connects students with the profession. She serves as president of PRSA Austin, the regional chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The role regularly brings Texas State students face-to-face with working professionals.
“At every single event, we have Texas State students coming and meeting professionals. They come in droves,” Price said.
She also leads Texas State’s two teams in the Public Relations Student Society of America’s Bateman Case Study Competition. In 2026, the teams placed first and third nationally.
“I incorporate these opportunities with my students so they can get real, professional-facing experience at Texas State before they ever go out into the field,” Price said.
Price with Texas State PRSSA students at a PRSA Austin event.
Price with Shauné Smith, the account executive for the AdvoCats, who won 1st place in the national Bateman competition.
Price with her 2026 winning Texas State Bateman competition teams.
What accomplishment from that time are you most proud of?
Price said she is proud of writing two books for Country Living Magazine, which opened the door to book signings and speaking engagements. She also takes pride in her nonprofit public relations work, where she promoted large-scale concerts and ballet performances.
Above all, Price said teaching has been the most meaningful part of her career.
“What I have loved the most is being in the classroom. I love connecting students with the industry,” Price said. “My job is to give them the information and insights they need to be successful in their careers, and to help them see the path to get where they're going.”
Debra Price teaches in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.
What career skills do you use most in the classroom today?
Price said the skill she relies on most is human connection: building relationships with students so they feel supported both in and beyond the classroom.
“The most important thing in teaching, outside of clearly relating the subject matter, is forming connections with students,” Price said. “It gives them the confidence that they can do what they're asked to do and builds the relationship so they know they can turn to their professor for guidance.”
She said she continually works to connect students to the professional world by bringing in guest speakers, inviting them to industry events, and pointing them toward professional resources. She noted that many of the students she teaches are only a year or so away from entering the workforce.
What advice would you give SJMC students preparing for their careers?
Price’s advice is direct: get involved and gain real experience.
“You have an incredible opportunity during your college years to get involved in many different things,” Price said. “As a student, I would ask, ‘What kind of really cool experience am I going to have that's going to further my career?’”
She encouraged students to explore opportunities across campus, from student organizations to student media outlets such as The University Star and KTSW 89.9, and to pursue internships early.
“You should be looking for an internship. It is what is going to be expected when you go into the workforce,” Price said. “Use college as much as you can, and then as you get to be a junior or senior, look outside college for experience that will help you connect to the industry and give you a leg up on your resume.”
Who are some notable mentors and faculty that you have worked with?
Price credits two mentors with shaping much of her path. The first is the late Kym Fox, who taught her how to teach when Price was a graduate assistant at Texas State.
“I'm now going into my tenth year of teaching at Texas State, and still today I'll hit something and hear Kym's voice,” Price said.
The second is Dr. Kelly Kaufhold, her thesis advisor and the first person to welcome her to Texas State. Price said Kaufhold’s advice and nurturing teaching style guided her through graduate school and her early years of teaching.
“He greeted me and said, ‘Hi, I'm Kelly Kaufhold,’ and we started a conversation that day,” Price said. “He stayed a mentor throughout grad school and my first years of teaching.”
About SJMC
The Texas State School of Journalism and Mass Communication prepares students for careers in media through hands-on learning and guidance from faculty with professional industry experience.
Article produced by graduate assistant Chinaza Okechukwu, who conducted the interview, collected photos, built the webpage, and published the story for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication.