This year’s best professor is somewhat of a celebrity in the SOJC. You know you’re officially a J student when you’ve heard her inspiring lecture on the creative process. Here at the University of Oregon, one might consider her the queen of creativity because she’s got it down to a science. More formally, she’s the director of the UO’s advertising program. It’s no surprise that Deb Morrison has won for the second year in a row.

Morrison’s interest in advertising started when she went back to school for her Ph.D., after earning a journalism degree and teaching high school in Austin, Texas. She said that was when she “found advertising” and fell in love with it.

Since then Morrison has co-written two books, including “The Creative Process Illustrated: How Advertising’s Big Ideas are Born” with Glenn Griffin in 2010 and “Idea Industry: How to Crack the Advertising Career Code” with Brett Robbs in 2009. She said she is currently writing a third on talent development.

“I love when brands hold value for people and the community,” Morrison said. “I love when they pay attention to detail, when they’re bold and generous with their audience and consumers. And I love when they use problem solving as part of their mission.”

Morrison has taught or is currently teaching classes about creative strategy, creative portfolios, interactive media, sports brand strategy, green brand strategy and interactive media.

Ross Giltinan, UO junior who is currently taking Morrison’s creative strategist class, said she is by far one of his favorite professors. “You can instinctually tell that Deb truly cares about her students and where we’re heading off to in our careers,” Giltinan said. “(She) invests so much of her time in her students so that they can thrive and be good, genuine, well-rounded human beings.”

Morrison’s advice to students who are going into the media industry: You have to be absolutely curious. Ready to own creativity. But also ready to fail. You need to have tenacity, thoughtfulness, generosity and bravery. These are characteristics of successful advertising students.

And if anyone would know about what that takes, it’s Deb Morrison, who has taught several students who are now incredibly successful.

Kelly Meyers, for example, graduated with a degree in advertising from the UO in 2011. She now works as a creative strategist at Code and Theory in New York City with three other UO alumni.

Morrison is a mentor, a supporter and a connector who helps students achieve their dreams. “She inspired me and made the industry make sense and not just seem like a textbook,” Meyers said.