Associate Professor, Department of Communication,
Nicole Files-Thompson, Ph.D. is Professor of Communication at Lincoln University, where she previously served as Chair of the Department of Mass Communications from 2016 to 2019. She earned her Ph.D. in Mass Communication and Media Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies from Howard University, an M.A. from Georgia State University with concentrations in Screenwriting and Critical Media Studies, and a B.A. in Film from Howard University.
Dr. Files-Thompson’s scholarship is grounded in intercultural, international, and critical communication, with particular attention to the lived experiences, mobility, identity negotiation, and empowerment of marginalized communities. Her work engages interdisciplinary and Black feminist perspectives to examine three interconnected questions: What constitutes marginalized identities? How are marginalized identities negotiated spatially and through practices of travel and mobility? How are marginalized identities empowered? Her research also engages the scholarship of teaching and learning, particularly pedagogical practices that create more inclusive and culturally responsive educational experiences. She has published in numerous academic journals and books, including serving as editor of a collection on intercultural communication, and has presented her scholarship at conferences nationally and internationally.
Central to Dr. Files-Thompson’s scholarly and community work is a commitment to understanding freedom, belonging, and mobility as both personal and collective practices. Her own journey to live freely as a Black woman informs a broader commitment to creating possibilities for others to live boldly, explore beyond prescribed boundaries, and imagine lives rooted in autonomy, connection, and well-being. Across her research, teaching, and service, she works to bridge scholarship and practice in ways that support communities historically underserved in their scholarly pursuits, cultural exploration, and expatriation and repatriation journeys.
A Fulbright U.S. Scholar alumna to Jamaica, Dr. Files-Thompson serves as Fulbright Program Advisor at Lincoln University, where she supports students and scholars pursuing international educational opportunities. She is also Director of the HBCU to Ph.D. Pipeline in Communication, an initiative dedicated to expanding pathways to doctoral education and strengthening the presence of HBCU students and graduates within the communication discipline.
Her professional service reflects a longstanding commitment to mentorship, institutional leadership, and greater representation within the discipline. Dr. Files-Thompson has held leadership positions in the National Communication Association and Eastern Communication Association, particularly within areas focused on diversity, Black and African-centered communication scholarship, and the advancement of historically underrepresented scholars. At Lincoln University, she has served on Faculty Council, Research and Faculty Development, and numerous university and departmental committees.
Across these roles, Dr. Files-Thompson approaches scholarship, teaching, and service as interconnected forms of community engagement. Her work centers belonging, cultural exploration, practical guidance, and the creation of spaces in which marginalized people can imagine, pursue, and sustain lives and scholarly trajectories on their own terms.
