1942
Dr. Dennis is born in Seattle, Washington to Everette Eugene and Kathryn Marie Dennis.
1964
Dr. Dennis receives a Bachelor of Science from the University of Oregon.
1966
Dr. Dennis receives a Master of Arts from Syracuse University and begins his career as an information officer in the Department of Mental Health in Chicago, Illinois.
1968
Dr. Dennis becomes an assistant professor at Kansas State University.
1972
Dr. Dennis becomes an assistant professor, then associate professor, and then full professor at the University of Minnesota.
1974
Dr. Dennis receives a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Minnesota.
1978
Dr. Dennis completes postdoctoral work at Harvard University and serves as the director of the graduate program in the Hubbard School of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota.
1981
Dr. Dennis becomes a professor and dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at the University of Oregon.
1983
Dr. Dennis serves as president of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC).
1984
Dr. Dennis becomes the founding executive director of the Gannett Freedom Forum Media Studies Center at Columbia University.
1985
Dr. Dennis receives the University of Oregon Webfoot Award.
1988
Dr. Dennis marries Emily Thompson Smith.
1996
Dr. Dennis serves as the founding president of the American Academy in Berlin.
1997
Dr. Dennis becomes a Felix E. Larkin Distinguished professor in the Gabelli School of Business at Fordham University.
1999
Dr. Dennis becomes the chief operating officer of the International Longevity Center (ILC).
2001
Dr. Dennis is inducted into the Oregon Journalism Hall of Achievement.
2002
Dr. Dennis receives the Distinguished Service Award from the University of Oregon and the Global Media Research Award from the Center for Global Media.
2011
Dr. Dennis becomes the dean and chief operating officer of Northwestern University in Qatar.
2015
Dr. Dennis serves on the board of the World Innovation Summit for Health.
2017
Dr. Dennis is elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.