Associate Professor – Design
Dr. Tony McEachern, Associate Professor - Design
Dr. Tony McEachern is a ‘Desert Storm’ Army veteran and three-time graduate of Howard University, receiving the Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts degrees, respectively, and a Ph.D. in Mass Communications and Media Studies. As a native Washingtonian, Dr. McEachern has demonstrated a life-long association with visual arts and art education, as well as, a passion for business.
With over 17 years of experience in the creative industry, McEachern manages a successful and diverse career as a professional Visual Communicator. In this, he has occupied positions as marketing and communications director, creative director, art director, copywriter, photographer, illustrator, entrepreneur, consultant, trainer and educator. Specializing in advertising and Internet site design/development, McEachern has extensive experience working on local, regional and national advertising and public service campaigns for the public and private business sectors, as well as, in academia. McEachern was a Brand Identity consultant for the DC Government’s Connect.DC Digital Inclusion Initiative and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utility. He was also the Creative Services Director at the University of Maryland, College Park, serving the Division of Student Affairs for over 10 years. He is currently the principal owner and CEO of McEachern Communications, LLC and former CEO and Creative Director of Digital Vanguard Design, which is the creative and online services division of McEachern Communications, LLC.
McEachern is also an Associate Professor of Design in the Art Department of the Division of Fine Arts at Howard University. As an art faculty member, he teaches courses in advertising design, digital media / web design, and creative business. Dr. McEachern’s personal quest is to make relevant the integration of visual arts, business, and communications by providing creative services and educational programs that streamline the processes for businesses, institutions and organizations. McEachern believes that the awareness of this necessary integration should start at the academic level. To foster this ideal, he developed the McEachern Model for the Successful Obtainment of Industry Readiness, Preparedness and Leadership for African American Millennial Media Arts Students. This developmental model features a curriculum that fosters the concept of graphic arts, marketing/advertising, and business synthesis.
Dr. McEachern is a three-time graduate from Howard University earning the Ph.D. (2011) in Strategic Communications, Leadership and Advertising Diversity from the Mass Communication and Media Studies graduate program, the MFA (2002) in Advertising and Interactive Design, and the BFA (2000) in Design, Electronic Studio (New Media) and Marketing. As a twist of fate, Dr. McEachern actually earned his Ph.D. in the same building as he was born; the C.B. Powell Building, formerly Freedmen’s Hospital.
Other Professional Memberships:
- Ad Club of Metropolitan Washington (AAF), Board Member, 2011
- American Academy of Advertisers (AAA), Current Member
- American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), Faculty Advisor
- Art Directors Club of Metropolitan Washington, Current Member
- Howard University Society of Artists and Designers, Founding Faculty Advisor
- International Communications Association (ICA), Current Member
- Golden Key International Honour Society, Lifetime Honorary Member
Military Service
1990 – 1993 US Armed Forces (Army), Ft. Bragg, NC
B Company 313th Military Intelligence Battalion
82nd Airborne Division Infantry Unit
Armor and Supply Logistics
End-of-Semester Critique