The St. Edward’s University Communication Department is still looking for a professor to fill the position left vacant by the death of Marilyn Schultz a year ago.

After several interviews, the university invited two prospective candidates for an interactive session with faculty and staff — but neither was hired.

The department conducted a national search to find the candidates through advertising in communication and journalism journals as well as through a hiring fair at the National Communication Conference in San Francisco, Calif., last semester.

Communication professor and Area Coordinator Stephanie Martinez said the interviews went well, but the faculty felt that the interviewees did not fit the job or the students. She said the faculty discovered that filling Schultz’s shoes was harder than they expected.

“Marilyn had the best of both worlds,” Martinez said. “Not only did she have the academic background and had taught for many years, but she also had the broadcast background.”

Schultz was a journalist for NBC and taught at the University of Texas before joining the communication faculty at St. Edward’s. She died in January 2010 while still employed by the university.

During her time as a professor, Schultz headed the broadcast journalism program at St. Edward’s and pushed for its growth. She also taught Communication Research Methods and Media Standards and Practices.

Martinez said the Communication Department is looking for a candidate who has experience and knowledge in the field as well as a vision of where the future of broadcast journalism is headed, as Schultz did.

The empty position may not be filled, but it was held this year by Professor Kay Burrough so that the Communication Department, one of the larger departments on campus, could continue to receive funding for the broadcast journalism program.

The department has also turned to professionals in the field around Austin to teach as adjuncts and alleviate the burden of canceling classes.

Kate Weidaw, a morning reporter at Austin’s KXAN and a Ph.D. student at UT, is teaching the Broadcast Journalism course this semester.

The documentary class this semester is taught by Roka Music, an executive producer at 77 advertising company and a former producer of “Sesame Street.”

Last semester, Broadcast Journalism for Sports was taught by Bruce Selcraig, a freelance writer and former investigative reporter for “Sports Illustrated.”