Professor of Journalism, Director University Honors Program
Helen Fallon, professor of journalism, has taught at Point Park University since 1986. She teaches copy editing, basic journalistic writing, interviewing skills, and some graduate courses and projects.
Every Friday, she works part time as a copy editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, where she's been gathering real-world materials for her classes since 1990.
She received a BA from Point Park's Department of Journalism and Mass Communication in 1975.
She worked as a reporter, copy editor and editor for several papers in the Pittsburgh area for six years. She also did public relations for a university and a community hospital for five years.
She received her master's degree in communications from Duquesne University, and then returned to her alma mater in 1986 to teach beginning print classes interspersed with Jeopardy-like games on style, grammar and news stories.
She has been active with The Consortium for Public Education, chairing that group's committee in the West Jefferson Hills School District. She also served on the West Jefferson School District's strategic planning steering committee and was a founding member of its Foundation for Education. Fallon has also worked with the Greater Pittsburgh League of Women Voters Clean Campaign Committee.
Mrs. Fallon is a member of the Women's Press Club of Pittsburgh, Society of Professional Journalists, and is a former member of the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America and adviser to the PRSSA Chapter at Point Park. She currently advises the University's chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
She conducts workshop sessions for the Pennsylvania Scholastic Press Association, and serves on its statewide board. She has addressed the Pennsylvania School Board Association on journalistic topics in the past.
She is active in Point Park's high school workshops in the fall, spring and summer, helping to update them, raise funds, and sponsor award contests with the Post-Gazette for outstanding high school newspapers and journalism students. Fallon has been visiting various high schools in the area to speak to journalism and communications classes about many topics relating to the field.
At Point Park, she's been chair of the Faculty Assembly committee on Admissions, Retention and Financial Aid and currently serves on the Curriculum Committee.
In 2005, the Western Pennsylvania Press Club honored Fallon for her service to journalism. She completed the Leadership Pittsburgh program in 2009.
Contact
E-mail: hfallon@pointpark.edu
Office phone: (412) 392-3982
Office: 1006 Thayer Hall