Courtesy of Savannah State University
Savannah State University is celebrating a major academic achievement as its Department of Journalism and Mass Communications has earned reaccreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.
The council took final action during its May 5 meeting at the Freedom Forum in Washington, D.C. The decision followed a rigorous, yearlong self-study process — an internal look at every phase of the department’s operations — along with a January campus visit and committee review of the program’s performance across ACEJMC standards.
The reaccreditation reaffirms the quality of Savannah State’s curriculum, faculty, facilities, student support and career preparation.
“ACEJMC reaccreditation affirms the strength of Savannah State University’s industry-embedded learning model and our commitment to preparing students for immediate success in a rapidly evolving media landscape,” said Dr. Jermaine Whirl, president of Savannah State University. “Through hands-on instruction, professional mentorship, internships and student media, our students graduate with the experience, confidence, and ethical foundation to lead in journalism, strategic communication and digital media.”
According to the site team report, the department was found in compliance with all eight ACEJMC standards. Reviewers praised the program’s leadership, engaged faculty and students, community outreach, and support for the department’s mission. The report also recognized the department’s continued progress since its last review and highlighted the strength of its student-centered academic environment.
That success is visible throughout the student experience. Savannah State’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communications provides students with meaningful, real-world opportunities through a fully functional television production studio and control room, the award-winning Tiger’s Roar student newspaper, a converged student media center, podcasting resources, internships, volunteer opportunities, classroom projects, and a strong public relations track that helps students solve real-world communications challenges for Savannah organizations.
Students also gain experience with industry-standard tools while pursuing pathways in journalism, public relations and strategic communication, multimedia and digital communication, and film-related study.
The department also has a strong track record of preparing students for employment in the field at graduation, with media professionals hosting Savannah State students as interns and hiring the program’s graduates. That momentum speaks to the department’s long-standing focus on workforce readiness, practical training and student achievement.
“Reaccreditation confirms that Savannah State is delivering the kind of rigorous, relevant and forward-looking education our students deserve,” said Dr. David Marshall, dean of the College of Media, Arts, and Communication. “Our students benefit from a program that blends theory with practice, ethics with innovation and classroom learning with real-world opportunity. This recognition reflects the strength of our faculty, the talent of our students and our commitment to preparing graduates who are ready to contribute on day one.”
The department’s reach extends well beyond the classroom. Savannah State hosts the nationally known Southern Regional Press Institute, founded in 1951 and recognized as one of the oldest scholastic journalism institutes at a historically Black college or university. Students also benefit from Georgia Film Academy-connected learning and newsroom innovation support tied to Howard University’s Center for Journalism and Democracy.
“This reaccreditation is a tribute to the persistence, talent and shared vision of our faculty, students, staff, alumni, and advisory council,” said Dr. Juliana Maria D. Trammel, chair of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. “We remain committed to developing ethical, skilled, and adaptable communicators who are prepared to lead in newsrooms, agencies, studios and digital media spaces across the nation and around the world.”
Savannah State’s journalism and mass communications program has been accredited since 2007 and is one of only three ACEJMC-accredited programs in Georgia. Savannah State is also the only ACEJMC-accredited HBCU in Georgia, underscoring the department’s distinctive role in advancing excellence, access, and opportunity in journalism and mass communication education.
For Savannah State students, alumni and supporters, the council’s action is both a recognition of the department’s excellence today and a powerful signal of its future. As the program continues to grow, innovate and connect students to opportunity, this reaccreditation stands as a proud affirmation of where Savannah State is — and where it is headed.
