Vosburg Wins the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication Teaching Award
After an award-winning career as a news photographer and editor, Benedict College Mass Comm Professor Michael Vosburg, Ph. D., has won a teaching award from a national organization.
In June, Vosburg was notified by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (AEJMC) that he tied for first place in the AEJMC Visual Communications Division Dr. Sandy Utt Excellence in Teaching Award 2026 in the Non-tenured category. The award will be presented on August 6 during the AEJMC annual conference in New Orleans.
Vosburg says, “I am honored to receive this recognition. It reflects not only my work, but also the dedication of my students and the support Benedict College has provided for innovative teaching.”
During the conference, Vosburg will also participate in an Innovations in Teaching 2026 panel and discuss his DANCE Theory during the Best Practices in Teaching Poster Session.
“This teaching award is a testament to Dr. Vosburg’s professionalism and his years of unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism. Now, as a college professor, he has dedicated this new chapter of his career to shaping minds and developing the skills of the next generation of journalists and mass communication professionals. Through his passion for teaching, he has made a lasting impact on countless students at Benedict College. Dr. Vosburg is truly deserving of the recognition, and we congratulate him on this outstanding achievement,” says Dr. Dawn Mills Campbell, chair of the English, Foreign Language and Mass Communication units.
Vosburg, who is beginning his fourth year at Benedict, has had professional career positions at Forum Communications in Fargo, ND; The San Angelo Standard-Times, San Angelo, TX; and The Norfolk Daily News, Norfolk, DE. As a master’s student, Vosburg led student photography at The Missourian, Columbia, MO; the most renowned journalism school in the world.
The Nebraska Associated Press named Vosburg, Photographer of the Year in 2004. In 2016, He won Photo of the Year from The North Dakota Newspaper Association and in 2017, he won first place for Press Photographer’s Portfolio from the Minnesota Newspaper Association.
Vosburg’s service to Benedict includes teaching Photography, Communication Theory, and Media Law courses as well as serving on the Committee on Communication and Marketing, Research and Grants, AI Taskforce, and Teaching and Learning Subcommittee.
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Benedict College
Founded in 1870 by a woman, Bathsheba A. Benedict, Benedict College is a private co-educational liberal arts institution offering 29 competitive baccalaureate degree programs and two master’s degree programs. The Midlands HBCU welcomes students from several counties in South Carolina, states across America, and countries around the world. The College also has a diverse faculty deeply engaged in teaching, research, and service.
Benedict College has been highly regarded and exceptionally ranked for its programs by several academic and traditional publications. Benedict College is the recipient of the 2024 UNCF Institutional Excellence Award given by UNCF’s Institute for Capacity Building Program. in Benedict was also named HBCU of the Year by HBCU Digest and voted the number one Gold Winner in The States’ BEST College or University in 2025. The College was also recognized as one of the Best Colleges in South Carolina in Research.com’s 2026 rankings.
Benedict College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate and master’s degrees. Five of the College’s degree programs hold national accreditation: Social Work Program, Environmental Health Science Program, Environmental Engineering, Studio Art, and the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship.