Dr. Joe Dennis, more affectionately known by his students as simply Joe, or for fans of his disk-jockey career “Just Joe,” is, as John Mayer once said, a sustenance of the world…or at least a sustenance of the mass communications department at Piedmont University.

As Joe relinquishes his powers as adviser to The Roar to a worthy suppressor, the staff remembers his impact on each of our lives. 

A visit to Joe’s office will find the adviser diligently attending to the needs and woes of his students…while listening to Kesha, of course. While being a Kesha fan is of utmost importance, there are many hats that Joe wears around the mass communications department: chair, professor, adviser, mentor, confidant…fedora. 

Joe acts not just as an academic adviser nor just an adviser to The Roar for any of the MCOM students. The impact that Joe has on the department runs much deeper than that. From your first moments freshmen year, Joe makes a point to get to know who YOU are. Moving into the following years, he is willing to tackle any academic problem you may encounter and, more than that, act as an unlicensed, untrained AND unpaid therapist. 

Joe has an unfailing optimism for his students, guiding each of them toward their niche in the department. For some, that may be journalism (a.k.a. his favorite students); for others, video or this niche may even be a blend of their passions, for example, blending the valuable teachings of communications with the skills of graphic design majors. 

As an adviser, Joe has been an incomparable influence on his students, past, present and future. He is always there to share a laugh, listen to a complaint or comfort a crisis. 

For The Roar, Joe is always the first to celebrate any and all accomplishments and console any frantic editors. A missed deadline has never been cause for worry and when the paper finally does make it to print, a celebration is sure to ensue. 

Sports editor Matthew Kodrowski said it best, “You were the first person who made me believe in my writing ability. Thank you for giving confidence to all of our voices, as young freshmen and today.”

Anyone who has had the pleasure to be a part of The Roar under the guidance of Joe knows the impact of an adviser who is always looking out for the best interest of his students. So for someone who probably doesn’t hear it nearly as much as they should, thank you, Joe. 

And for those who may one day cross paths with Dr. Joe Dennis, the first lesson in the multiverse of Joe: girls is playas too.