Longtime communication professor Flick dies
Hank Flick
Hank Flick, a longtime Mississippi State University professor of communication who impacted thousands of students during his 45-year career at the university, has died at the age of 73.
“Hank was a legendary teacher; the best testament to that is the deep impact he made on the countless students he taught over the years,” College of Arts and Sciences Dean Rick Travis said.
“The generations of students who had Dr. Flick for a class will still have vivid memories of what they learned. The communication skills he taught are etched deeply into so many MSU alumni,” he said.
Flick first began teaching in MSU’s Department of Communication in 1971 and retired from teaching in 2016. He has served the university in a wide variety of roles, including as public address announcer for MSU football and basketball games, as well as director of the University Television Center. He taught classes in interviewing, small group communication, media relations and corporate communications.
The California native received his doctorate in interpersonal and small group communication from Southern Illinois in 1985. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Memphis State University.
His many teaching accolades include being named a Grisham Master Teacher at MSU in 1994 and earning Mississippi Professor of the Year honors in 1995 from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The Department of Communication’s Hank Flick Outstanding Service Scholarship is awarded annually to communication majors that demonstrate a strong record of service to the community and MSU.
Flick is survived by his son, Harrison.
