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Behind Medill IMC’s Professor Malthouse —“Every student loves Ed!”

Ed Malthouse
Ed Malthouse

Ed Malthouse is the Theodore R. and Annie Laurie Sills Professor of Integrated Marketing Communications and the research director of the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center. Last year marks the fifth time Malthouse has been awarded IMC Teacher of the Year, reflecting the fan-following of students he’s inspired in the program. Students say by the time they finish his class in the first quarter of their IMC curriculum, they’re talking statistical concepts in ways more advanced than most marketers out there in the real world. Every student interviewed for this profile praises the way that Malthouse incorporates a deeper level of understanding in his courses, and makes himself available for students all the time. Malthouse says he, “loves IMC students because they want to work hard, [they] want to be pushed because they know it’s a tough market out there.” 

Malthouse describes his role as professor as being both a cheerleader and a coach in the way he motivates and challenges his students, and helps them rediscover their math gene at whatever background level they are at. Students like Christy Lu (IMC15) said, “the best thing about being taught by Ed is that you will enjoy learning statistics no matter how good you are [at math].” His passion for the subject is apparent in his teaching style, which engages and inspires students. Full-time student Chirag Shankaraswamy (IMC15) explains what he loves about Malthouse. “For someone with his level of expertise, his experience, his breadth of knowledge, he is super approachable. He loves hearing your ideas, he will reflect on them with you and guide you towards the answer teaching some important concepts along the way,” Shankaraswamy said.

To develop an understanding of statistics in all students, which Malthouse feels is critical to the IMC degree and for succeeding in the real-world, Malthouse structures his class as a series of bits and pieces of a puzzle that are all connected at the end. Students say this way of connecting theory, real world scenarios and technical ability is extremely effective.  His methods reflect his philosophy of IMC as the “intersection of strategy and analytics.” Malthouse believes this combination of implementing strategies that helps marketing grow and analyzing metrics and numbers to back up these strategies is the cornerstone of IMC. 

After taking his class, many students continue to work with Malthouse at the Spiegel Digital & Database Research Center. His research focuses on the intersection of consumers' experience with media, customer value, marketing strategies and interactive marketing technologies.

Find out more about Medill’s top faculty, like Malthouse, or to apply to our IMC program.