By: Jiana Rush
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication is one of 16 schools
within Arizona State University. The school is acknowledged globally for its success in the field
of journalism. Courses in sports, broadcast, and digital journalism are all offered among multiple
other courses. Arizona PBS is one of the largest and most notorious news stations in the country.
It is run out of the Cronkite School and allows the students to engage themselves in the processes
of reporting in preparation for their future careers (About the Cronkite School at ASU | Cronkite
School).
Dr. Battinto L. Batts Jr. is the current dean of the school and has been since late 2021. In
an article written by Marshall Terrill, Dean Batts was welcomed into the position by the school’s
community. Terrill interviewed ASU’s Foundation Professor, Nancy Gonzales who “anticipates
that Batts, like founding Cronkite Dean Christopher Callahan* — who led the transformation of
the ASU journalism school into one of the nation’s top programs — will be an impactful leader”
(Terrill, 2021).
Christopher Callahan, the first dean of the school, took part in the creation of multiple
centers and resources for the Cronkite community. The Donald W. Reynolds National Center for
Business Journalism, Knight Center for Digital Media Entrepreneurship, and Cronkite Institute
for High School Journalism are just a few of the programs that positively altered the course of
the school and its expansion (Our history | ASU Cronkite School).
Before these additions to the school, it had to be an official college. Journalism classes
have been offered at ASU since 1931 which started as an aid “…to provide talent to produce the
student newspaper and yearbook” (About the Cronkite School at ASU | Cronkite School). The
school was founded by a multitude of supporters of journalism with Walter Cronkite as the
inspiration behind the honest and objective reporting ASU hoped to produce.
In 1984, the school grew from a department to an accredited college that specializes in
the teachings of journalism. Over time the school moved to Phoenix. New degree programs were
added and the community grew significantly in numbers and diversity (Our history | ASU
Cronkite School). As more advocates for the field have become involved in the Cronkite
community, the school has had the opportunity to grow into what it is today.
