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UPDATED: Nov. 20, 2021 at 4:42 p.m.

The first cohort of Branham Scholars entered the Newhouse School of Public Communications this fall, with eight recipients from a wide range of backgrounds. Notably missing from the group are Black women.

The scholarship is meant to recruit students from socioeconomically disadvantaged and underrepresented populations, according to a Newhouse press release, and give them the opportunity to attend Newhouse “debt-free.” The scholarship will be awarded to at most 10 students each fall. 

The absence of Black women received criticism over social media because the namesake of the scholarship, former Newhouse Dean Lorraine E. Branham, was a Black woman. 

Payton Campbell, who graduated from Newhouse’s graphic design program in 2021 and was the president of SU’s chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, said that in Branham’s absence and with few Black female role models left in the school, Newhouse has to put more effort into making Black women feel represented. She said that she was one of the few Black students in her major when she graduated in May.

Branham became dean in 2008 after working in the newspaper industry for about 25 years, and she was determined to diversify the school in her role. Branham died in 2019 from uterine cancer.

Campbell said she remembered finishing her senior year of high school and interning at the Houston Chronicle in Texas during the spring of 2017. She had just received her waitlist notification from Newhouse. Her editor made a call to Branham advocating for Campbell, and three weeks later she was accepted. 

Branham was instrumental in Campbell’s ability to attend SU. She said this connection to Branham gave her the strength and encouragement to get involved with the Newhouse community.

“(Branham) was why I was so involved in Newhouse … even after she passed away because I knew that I just wanted to carry on her legacy in any way that I could,” Campbell said. “I wanted to show and prove that students of color belong at Newhouse regardless of whether or not we have the best test scores … we have stories to tell and our place at this school is as deserved as anyone else’s.” 

Branham’s passion for influencing students, especially students of color, was well known not just among students, but also faculty and staff at Newhouse. 

Amy Falkner, the senior associate dean of academic affairs at Newhouse, served as interim dean following Branham’s death in 2019. Falkner said the scholarship recently established in Branham’s memory aims to motivate students in a similar way to how Branham motivated them herself. 

“The students who came to see Lorraine or got here because of (who) Lorriane was. Because she was both nurturing in a way to motivate students, especially students from underrepresented groups. But also not shy about lighting a fire under your butt if you weren’t doing what you should be doing and taking advantage of incredible opportunities,” Falkner said. “It is an incredible opportunity for, essentially, underrepresented groups of students.”

We are pleased to welcome the inaugural cohort of Branham Scholars, whose @newhousesu dreams are a reality thanks to a scholarship program named for our late dean. She would have been so proud.

A photo posted by newhousesu

Claire Ceccoli is one of this year’s Branham Scholars. The freshman public relations major said the scholarship made all the difference for her, and made her feel as though Newhouse wanted her. Ceccoli, who is a white woman, said she understands the criticism surrounding the scholarship but feels as though she can still enact change because of the scholarship. 

“I am aware that I am not a part of a minority group,” Ceccoli said. “Yes, it was not given to a Black woman, and I am not a part of that group. But the scholarship is still making a change in my life because it is inspiring me to make change and follow in the dean’s footsteps.”

Newhouse Dean Mark J. Lodato and Vice President of Enrollment Services Ryan C. Williams sent an email to the Newhouse community Nov. 19 noting the absence of Black women accepting the scholarship. 

“Like many of you, we were hopeful that our recruiting efforts would result in more Black women being a part of the inaugural cohort of Branham Scholars,” they said in the email. 

Falkner said that, although no Black women received the scholarship, that doesn’t mean Black women weren’t offered it. The scholarship was offered to 12 students, 9 of whom were from communities of color, according to the email. 

“Sometimes people take the scholarship, sometimes they go somewhere else,” Falkner said.

Of the 12 students offered the scholarship, eight students accepted. The email did not state how many of the students who accepted were from communities of color. 

When asked how many Black women were offered the scholarship, Lodato said he had no additional information to add.

As Newhouse prepares to recruit next year’s cohort, Lodato and Williams said they are looking toward increasing diversity. They plan on accomplishing this by involving current students, faculty and alumni in the recruitment process, increasing investment into the recruitment process and reviewing the timing and offer process, according to the email. Their goal is to make the Branham Scholarship “the most highly sought-after program.” 

Campbell said that some Black women may not have come to Newhouse because of the lack of belonging at the school.

“It is hard to be a Black woman in Newhouse. It’s hard being in a space where you’re not really understood and you don’t feel very welcomed or valued,” Campbell said. “It doesn’t really surprise me that Black women wouldn’t want to come to Newhouse.”

After working in the newspaper business with predominantly white, male coworkers, Branham understood the feeling of underrepresentation, Falkner said.  

Branham’s ability to rise through the ranks as a woman of color is what she was always trying to show students, Falkner added.

“How do you work and be successful in a place where, (being in the minority), that’s what your situation is?” Dean Falkner said. “This is what she was so passionate about but also exceptionally talented at. She did it, she lived it. She always tried to inspire students to do the same, and that is what this legacy is about and what this scholarship is about. Giving an opportunity to folks.”

Published on November 11, 2021 at 1:24 am

Contact Shantel: sguzma01@syr.edu | @shantelguzman2