Areas of Expertise
- Career Development for the Media Professions
- Audience Theory and Sports Behavior
“Coop” credits his mother for his love of media and his father for loving what he does for a living. At the age of 4, his family drove from a small Arkansas town to Los Angeles to visit family for Christmas. His burgeoning passion for travel would eventually come full circle in his present position as Director of the OHIO-in-LA Program. Along the way, he worked professionally as a sportswriter (five years) and as a creative director at an advertising agency (two years). He spent a year in Japan as a Fulbright Scholar, followed by six years as a consultant for Japan's National Association of Commercial Broadcasters. Coop has taught and/or presented research in Australia, Qatar, Denmark, the UK, Singapore, Thailand, Spain, Malaysia, and the Ukraine.
Coop’s current work focuses on the personality attributes that lead to success in media and creative professions. His book, The 12 Attributes of Extraordinary Media Professionals (Rowman & Littlefield, 2022), won the 2023 Textbook Award from the Broadcast Education Association. He has published 25+ journal articles and presented 50+ conference papers, most recently focusing on cross-platform audience behaviors and sports fandom.
As Director of the OHIO-in-LA Program since its inception (2014), Coop teaches classes in Los Angeles, facilitates relationships and excursions, executive produces short films, and oversees internships for 20+ students in LA during the Fall semester and Summer term. He teaches The Business of Media (MDIA 2011) and the Development Process for the Creative Industries (MDIA 4601) each Spring semester at OU.
A life-long, die-hard Kansas City Chiefs fan (and season-ticket holder), Coop loves funk music and is fascinated with stand-up and improv comedy. He created the course, Leadership and Humor for the Creative Industries, as part of his University Professor Award, and attends shows at The Groundlings and at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles every chance he gets.
Education
Ph.D. (Mass Communication), Indiana University
M.S. (Mass Communication), Arkansas State University
B.S. (Radio-Television), Arkansas State University