Lorraine Branham’s words have reached readers of The Baltimore Sun, Philadelphia Inquirer, Pittsburgh Post Gazette and others in her extensive career as a journalist. Branham is one of two candidates for dean of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.

Branham is on a two-day visit to Syracuse University that ends today. She took part in a one-hour, question-and-answer session with SU students Tuesday afternoon in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium.

Students’ questions promptly revealed the items topping Branham’s agenda in communications education: diversity and media convergence.

‘As an African-American woman, I have dealt with that issue my entire life, both in the newspaper business and journalism education,’ Branham said in the session.

After experiencing newsroom diversity struggles, Branham seeks a proactive approach to diversity in the classroom.

‘If you’re going to be in the media, you’re going to have to understand how to talk to and how to tell stories to people of all backgrounds,’ Branham said.

As a newspaper reporter and editor, Branham improved coverage of minority communities and hired more minorities to work in the newsroom. As for communications education, she seeks to create a deeper appreciation for diversity and covering diverse communities.

Preparing students for the ever-increasing convergence in media is also of Branham’s top priorities.

‘I saw the changes that were taking place in the industry, and I was concerned that they really were not considering what was taking place,’ Branham said of the schools at which she worked, including Temple University, the University of California at Berkley and the University of Texas at Austin.

UTexas asked Branham to direct its journalism program six years ago while she was working as an assistant to the publisher of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

‘I put a special emphasis on making sure my students are getting the broad, multimedia training that everyone needs to be successful,’ Branham said about the UTexas program.

Though her career is mainly in newspaper, Branham has a bachelor’s degree in radio, television and film. Initially seeking to enter the field of broadcast journalism, she changed her intended career after taking a course in newspaper writing.

Branham recognized her knowledge of the advertising and public relations field may be less extensive.

‘I do understand that I’ve got a bit of a learning curve in that regard,’ she said. ‘I need to get a better sense of where that profession is right now-what are the challenges, what are the issues, what do we need to be doing with students to make sure that they’re prepared.’

Branham did point to her experience with the business aspect of advertising in newspapers, and she believes her overall background would serve Newhouse well.

‘I feel very confident about my abilities to take on new challenges and excel at them,’ Branham said in response to some students who voiced concern about her lack of experience as dean and lack of a master’s degree or doctorate.

‘I’ve always been looking at different opportunities and have been willing to take on new challenges,’ Branham said.

Branham discussed overcoming the challenges of being an editor of a newspaper for the first time at the Tallahassee Democrat. She also noted she had no prior administrational education experience before taking her current job as the director of journalism at UTexas.

‘Dean Rubin has been very effective, very successful, obviously beloved,’ Branham said of the retiring Newhouse dean of 18 years.

‘She realizes she’d be filling big shoes,’ said Miranda Villei, the undergraduate student representative on the dean search committee.

Soo Yeon Hong, graduate student representative on the Newhouse dean search committee, spoke of Branham’s experiences in tackling diversity issues.

‘She knows. She experienced it,’ he said. ‘It’s not something you read in textbooks.’

Hong reported a larger student turnout last Thursday when Sam L. Grogg, another candidate who is currently dean at the University of Miami’s School of Communication, held a similar question-and-answer session.

Grogg’s interest in Newhouse came into question after an article printed in UMiami’s newspaper The Miami Hurricane that he has ‘no intention’ of leaving the school.

But Branham seems sure in her pursuit of the Newhouse deanship.

‘I see this as an opportunity,’ Branham said. ‘I’m in charge of a school of journalism, but I’m not the dean. So it’s great to run what I do, but I think it would be a great opportunity to try out some new ideas.’

Branham, like Grogg, pledged to stay at Newhouse through retirement if offered the position of dean.

‘I have told my husband that if we end up in Syracuse, I will not move him again,’ Branham said.

Villei encourages students with any ideas about the new dean to e-mail her at mlvillei@syr.edu.

Published on January 29, 2008 at 12:00 pm