Sharon Bramlett-Solomon, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, was named one of journalism’s top educators in the nation for her inspirational work with students.
Bramlett-Solomon was one of 10 educators to win Crain’s NewsPro Noteworthy Journalism Educator honors, nominated by members of the Broadcast Education Association, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the Society of Environmental Journalists.
Bramlett-Solomon has taught many courses in the Cronkite School, including news writing, advanced news reporting, media and society, ethics and diversity, and a mass media theory graduate course. She currently teaches courses in race, gender and media as well as mass communication history.
“Teaching is at the heart of the Cronkite School, reflecting the art, skill and science of my passion,” said Bramlett-Solomon, who joined the Cronkite School in 1986. “I’m very humbled by this NewsPro honor. I’ve taught thousands of students, and a gem of my teaching is that the diverse backgrounds and experiences my students bring to the classroom, have constantly challenged me in immeasurable ways. What’s more, I teach students in a field critical to our democracy, and for me that’s joy.”
Bramlett-Solomon is the author of “Race, Gender, Class and Media: Studying Mass Communication and Multiculturalism.” Her research focuses on the effects on audiences of media depiction of race and social class. She has published and presented more than 100 scholarly papers in this area as well as articles on media and aging.
In addition to her latest honor, Bramlett-Solomon has received numerous teaching, research and service awards, including the Barry Bingham Fellowship from the National Conference of Editorial Writers Foundation, awarded annually to a journalism educator dedicated to advancing diversity in college journalism education. She also is a recipient of the Professor the Year Award from the Newspaper Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.
“For more than 30 years, Sharon has been an inspirational voice at the Cronkite School,” said Dean Christopher Callahan. “This is a well-deserved honor for her commitment to our students, our school and our university.”
As part of the Noteworthy Journalism Educator honors, Crain NewsPro also recognized journalism and communications professors from the City University of New York, Columbia University, Ohio University, Syracuse University, the University of Arkansas, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Missouri, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Western Illinois University.