Erwin K. Thomas

In 2010, Guyanese-born Erwin K. Thomas served as vice president of the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR), Old Dominion University, Virginia Beach, VA. After 28 years he retired as a professor and director of the Graduate Program, Department of Mass Communications & Journalism, Norfolk State University, VA. His present interest is writing about World Religions & Beliefs, and is a member of the American Academy of Religion (AAR).

Thomas attended the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he earned a PhD degree - International Journalism & Broadcasting (1978), Brooklyn College of CUNY – MS Television (1972), and University of Oregon, Eugene – BS Radio-TV & Film (1970). His doctoral dissertation was entitled: "The Beginnings of Broadcasting in The West Indies, 1920-1949 (Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago)."

He taught mass media courses at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (1978-1979), SUNY – Oswego (1972-1974), and University of Guyana, Georgetown (Summers 1981 & 1988). Thomas did research at the University of Guyana, Georgetown; University of the West Indies (UWI) - Cave Hill, Barbados; Port of Spain, Trinidad; and Mona, Jamaica.

He was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship (1975-1978); awarded a Gannett Foundation Scholarship (1975-1976); an Internship at Brooklyn College (1970-1972); Foreign Student Scholarship, University of Oregon (1968-1970); Teacher of the Year, Department of Mass Communications, NSU (1983-1984); named as an Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Fulbright Senior Specialists Candidate (2002-2007); and was consultant to the Ministry of Information, Georgetown, Guyana.

Thomas was a newscaster at KWAX-FM, Eugene, OR (1968-1970); producer-director - BCTV, Brooklyn, NY (1970-1971); desk assistant - CBS Radio Network News, NYC (1972); producer-director - OSUTV, Oswego, NY (1972-1974); writer - Columbia Missourian (1974); reporter - KBIA-FM (1975), and KOMU-TV Columbia, MO (1976-1977).

His “Plain Talk” series were aired on WSLJ-TV, Watertown, NY (1973-1974). He worked in different crew positions at BCTV, with shows aired on WNET-TV, and WNYC-TV, NYC (1970-1972). At NSU he was news director - WNSB-FM (1980-1985); and was on the Vestry Council, Eucharistic Minister, and social media editor at the Church of the Holy Apostles, Virginia Beach, VA.

He was chair of thesis committees at NSU and authored: Make Better Videos with Your Camcorder (TAB Books, 1991); co-edited with Brown H. Carpenter - Handbook on Mass Media in the United States, and Mass Media in 2025, Greenwood Press, (1994 & 2001 respectively); A Weekly Encounter (2015); Keys of Faith (2016); Gifts of God (2017; Life's Passage; and Guyana's Seawall Girl (2018), CreateSpace, and Heaven Bound (2019), with Amazon.

Thomas has organized and chaired committees, directed workshops, judged faculty, and student papers as a member of professional organizations. He is a member of the Religion Interest Group (AEJMC), and Hampton Roads Writers (HRW). His research interests are: International media systems, social media, broadcasting history, ethics, biography, and devotionals.

Thomas is a lifelong member of Church of the Holy Apostles, an ecumenical community of Episcopalians and Roman Catholics. He is married Mary Barta Thomas, a retired librarian. They are the parents of Matthew J. Thomas, who resides with his wife Shannon Mabry Thomas in Charlottesville, VA.