Bobbie Rathjens
Bio
Bobbie Rathjens is a Business Communications professor in the full-time MBA program at the Eli Broad College of Business and a Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Communication at Michigan State University. She is set to defend her dissertation, Mechanisms of Dissonant Attitudinal Shifts in Online Influence, in Spring 2025. Her dissertation examines how the power of beauty influencers can change consumer behavior and attitudes through the use of counter-normative recommendations.
Research and Teaching
With a unique academic foundation—holding a Master’s degree in Marketing Research and soon a Ph.D. in Communication—Bobbie’s expertise bridges the fields of social influence, consumer behavior, and communication technology. Her research focuses on the power of social media influencers in changing attitudes, shaping brand perception, and transforming online communication. She has published in leading journals, including the Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, the International Journal of Hospitality Management, among others.
Bobbie brings a wealth of industry experience to her academic career, having previously served as a Director of Marketing for a nationally recognized ski and golf resort and as a Corporate Social Media Strategist in the healthcare sector. This background informs her teaching and mentorship, where she integrates real-world applications into her courses. She has designed and taught classes on Digital Marketing, Marketing Analytics, Social Media Strategy, Leadership and Group Communication, and Business Communication, emphasizing data-driven decision-making and digital engagement.
Committed to student development, Bobbie actively mentors emerging scholars and business professionals, fostering critical thinking and strategic communication skills in the next generation of leaders.
