Cronkite School Professor Named Outstanding Educator

Sharon Bramlett-Solomon, an associate professor in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, has been named Outstanding Educator for 2007 by the newspaper division of the nation’s leading journalism education organization.

The award, given by the newspaper division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, recognizes achievement in preparing journalism students, advancing journalism education and promoting career development.

A faculty member at Arizona State University for more than 20 years, Bramlett-Solomon developed “Race, Gender and Media,” a course that each year enrolls more than 200 students. She also launched and advised ASU’s Association of Multicultural Journalists, an organization for students of all colors that promotes academic excellence, diversity in news hiring, inclusiveness in coverage and student work experience in campus and off-campus media jobs.

In nominating Bramlett-Solomon for the award, Cronkite School Dean Christopher Callahan wrote: “Sharon is tough, enthusiastic, fair, caring, knowledgeable, supportive, dedicated and passionate about her subject matter. She has served as mentor and guiding light to literally hundreds of journalism students at ASU, and she has been an important national voice on journalism diversity issues.”

Bramlett-Solomon’s work on behalf of students, particularly students of color, has received national and regional recognition in the past. In 1994 she was awarded the Barry Bingham Sr. Fellowship for advancing diversity in college journalism education. In 2002 the Arizona Black Women’s Task Force honored her as Woman of the Year for mentoring, nurturing and enhancing graduation success among African-American college students. And in 2003 she was a recipient of the Faculty Achievement Award from ASU’s African-American Alumni Association.

She has held numerous AEJMC positions, including chair of the Minorities and Communication Division and chair of the Commission on the Status of Minorities, serving also as vice-head of the two divisions, and has served on the AEJMC Professional Press Freedom and Responsibility Committee as well as its Diversity Task Force and Executive Committee.

Bramlett-Solomon holds a doctorate degree in mass communication from Indiana University. Prior to joining the Cronkite faculty in 1986, she spent seven years in newspapers, public relations and radio, including reporting for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper.

She will receive the Outstanding Educator Award on Aug. 10 at the AEJMC annual convention in Washington, D.C.