Jaliah Robinson, a junior mass communications scholar from Little River, S.C., was named the 2021 South Carolina Press Association Collegiate Division’s Journalist of the Year. Robinson continued Claflin’s unprecedented dominance in the division for colleges and universities that enroll fewer than 5,000 students by becoming the sixth Claflin journalist in eight years to win the category's highest individual award.
Robinson has maintained a 4.0 grade point average as a member of the Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) and editor of The Panther, Claflin University’s student newspaper. Robinson has written for several other publications, including Hearst Magazines, where her story about life lessons and experiences of a community elder for the Black History Month project, “Project Tell Me,” appeared. Robinson has also written for the Edisto River Review, Oprah Daily, and Woman’s Day. Her stories about the impact of COVID-19 earned her additional recognition.
Robinson’s other experiences include serving as an editorial intern for In Touch, In Tune, In Vision – the Honors College Newsletter and editor of Culture Magazine, Claflin University Mass Communications Department’s magazine. She was also a social media specialist for the Claflin University Student Government Association.
According to a Times and Democrat article, “the judges praised Robinson for the quality, quantity, and diversity of work samples entered in this portfolio. She tackled hard news -- public safety matters, policing, and growth and development issues on campus and in her community. She wrote several articles about the impact of COVID-19 on everything from homecoming to the return to on-campus learning. Robinson is the embodiment of a good community news reporter. In the nomination, she said she considers herself a bridge between her peers and situations that affect us. She also showcased strong feature writing skills through profiles. The judges also enjoyed reading her poetry, fiction, and non-fiction creative writing samples. Additionally, Robinson is recognized for her academic excellence, heart for community service, and involvement on campus.”
After Claflin, Robinson plans to pursue a master’s in publishing at Boston University and then a career as a magazine or book editor.