News

Iowa State’s David Bulla Newspaper Division’s Educator of the Year

COLUMBIA, S.C. – At the national AEJMC convention in Boston in August, the association’s Newspaper Division named David W. Bulla of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State its Educator of the Year for 2009.

The award honors professors who have a demonstrated track record of achievement in preparing journalism students, advancing journalism education and promoting career development.

Bulla is an assistant professor at Iowa State, where he also is co-chair of the First Amendment Day Committee and advises the university’s Society of Professional Journalists chapter.

“I am humbled by this award,” said Bulla, who was quick to credit his mentors, Kay Phillips at North Carolina, Jack Dvorak and Cleve Wilhoit at Indiana, Bernell Tripp and Julie Dodd at Florida, and Michael Bugeja and Eric Abbott at Iowa State. “I have also been very fortunate to have outstanding students at both the high school and college level.”

His colleagues and former students cited his ability to motivate students, dedication to quality journalism, ability to bring the history of journalism in America to life, and energy in “resurrecting” the school’s SPJ chapter and in working with news and sports reporters at the Iowa State Daily student newspaper.

“David is one of our most outstanding educators – not only in the top marks he receives in student evaluations – but also for his service and advising, which rank among the best in our program,” wrote Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School, in his nomination letter. “His ultimate contribution is in reminding students about the history of journalism and the role of journalism in the history of the United States. They leave his classes believing in something higher than themselves.”

One former student, Jared Strong, a reporter with the Des Moines Register, wrote in his letter of support of Bulla’s “strong command of the reporting skills that students need in their careers,” and of his “biggest strength,“ which is his ability to motivate students.

Bulla teaches primarily reporting and U.S. press history at Iowa State. His book, Lincoln’s Censor: Milo Hascall and Freedom of the Press in Civil War Indiana, was published by Purdue University Press this year. He also is co-author with Gregory Borchard (UNLV) of Journalism in the Civil War Era, which will be published in 2010 by Peter Lang.

Bulla serves as the research chair of AEJ’s Scholastic Journalism Division, and before graduate school spent a decade as a sports writer and as a high school English and journalism teacher in North Carolina.

--by Brian Carroll
AEJMC Teaching Committee co-chair

2009-08-25