Utenteerwinkthomas

My books will be about many genres. But will focus on International Media, Social Media, Christianity & World Religions.

Erwin K. Thomas, PhD, (b. June 3rd, 1943)

Formerly from Georgetown, Guyana, South America, has a profound love for Christianity, retired professor, author, blogger, and self-publisher. He is interested in diverse cultures. Presently, his main focus is on social media, devotionals, and memoirs.

In 2010, 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 in the Department of Mass Communications & Journalism, Norfolk State University, VA. He formerly taught at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee (1978-79), SUNY – Oswego (1972-74), and University of Guyana, Georgetown (Summers 1988 & 1981).

He specialized in International Journalism and Broadcasting, did research at the University of Guyana, Georgetown, and University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, Barbados, Port of Spain, Trinidad, and Mona, Jamaica. He attended the University of Missouri, Columbia – PhD, Journalism (1978), Brooklyn College of CUNY – MS, TV (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 And Tobago)."

He was the recipient of a Ford Foundation Fellowship (1975-78), was awarded a Gannett Foundation Scholarship (1975-76), named by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Fulbright Senior Specialists Candidate (2002-07), and was for years a consultant to the Ministry of Information, Guyana.

He was a radio newscaster, KWAX-FM, Eugene, OR (1968-70), producer-director, BCTV, Brooklyn, NY (1970-71), Desk Assistant, CBS Radio Network News, NYC (1972), producer-director, OSUTV, Oswego, NY (1972-74), News Writer, Columbia Missourian (1974), Reporter at KBIA-FM (1975), and KOMU-TV, Columbia, MO (1976-77). His six “Plain Talk” series were aired on WSLJ-TV, Watertown, NY (1973-74). Some 20 shows on which he worked in different crew positions while at BCTV were aired on WNET-TV, and WNYC-TV, NYC (1970-72). At Norfolk State University he served as News Director, WNSB-FM (1980-85).

Thomas delivered papers, published bibliographic abstracts, articles, and book chapters. He was chair of six theses committees, authored Make Better Videos with Your Camcorder (TAB Books 1991), co-edited, Handbook on Mass Media in the United States, and Mass Media in 2025 with Brown H. Carpenter, by Greenwood Press 1994 & 2001 respectively, has published A Weekly Encounter (2015), and Keys of Faith (2016) independently. Gifts of God (2017) is scheduled. For years he has been a member of the American Journalism Historians Association (AJHA), Broadcast Education Association (BEA), National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), where he held positions in the International Division, and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). His research interests are: International Media, Social Media, Ethics, Memoirs, Christian Issues, and Devotionals.

He is a lifelong member of an ecumenical community of Episcopalians and Roman Catholics at the Church of the Holy Apostles, Virginia Beach, VA, where he serves as a Social Media Coordinator for their facebook page. He is married to a retired librarian from Tidewater Community College – Chesapeake, Mary Barta Thomas, and are parents of Matthew Thomas who is married to Shannon, and is a Genetic Counselor of Cardiology at University of Virginia, Charlottesville.