WASHINGTON (February 20, 2013) – The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) congratulates Dorothy Bland on her new role as the dean of the University of North Texas’ Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism. Her appointment will begin in June.

Bland is a professor and the former Director of the Division of Journalism at Florida A&M University’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication. She led a successful reaccreditation for the division in 2008 and 2012. Her other accomplishments include securing an annual commitment for Scripps-Howard Foundation Internship/Scholarship Grants for two FAMU students beginning in 2011, and working with CBS News, FAMU journalism alumni and others to establish the Visiting Harold Dow Professorship, named in honor of the award-winning "48 hours” correspondent who died in August 2010.

"Dorothy has played a significant role in helping our student members hone their journalism skills by serving as the Director of the NABJ Multimedia Short Course from 2009-2012. She worked diligently on fundraising campaigns which garnered more than $100,000 for the two-day workshop,” said NABJ President Gregory Lee Jr. "She is a distinguished professor and journalist and the University of North Texas is privileged to have her lead their journalism school.”

Prior to FAMU, Bland worked in various newspaper positions for 25 years. She was a reporter and editor at USA Today.  She served as president and publisher of both the Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette and Fort Collins (Colo.) Coloradoan.  She received the Gannett Media Company President’s Ring for Excellence as a publisher three times.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Arkansas State University and her master's degree in business administration from George Washington University. She was a McCormick Fellow in the Advanced Executive Program at Northwestern University’s Media Management Center and she has completed additional graduate courses at Florida State University.

With her stellar record of professional and academic experience, NABJ wishes Bland continued success in her new position as she continues to prepare the next generation of journalists.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization for journalists of color in the nation, and provides career development as well as educational and other support to its members worldwide. For more information, please visit www.nabj.org.

 ###