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Three Communication & Journalism faculty receive 2025 Faculty Awards

Auburn University has announced the recipients of its 2025 Faculty Awards, honoring exceptional achievements in teaching, research, leadership and service. These awards recognize faculty whose work exemplifies Auburn’s land-grant mission to inspire, engage, and transform lives through education, discovery and outreach.

This year, three faculty members in the School of Communication and Journalism in the College of Liberal Arts will receive these awards.

Professor Brigitta Brunner received the Gerald and Emily Leischuck Endowed Presidential Awards for Excellence in Teaching.

A professor in the School of Communication and Journalism for 24 years, Brunner is widely recognized for her innovation in teaching, leadership in public relations education, and deep commitment to student success. Through her creative, hands-on teaching, she connects theory to practice and inspires curiosity, critical thinking, and collaboration. She established Auburn’s public relations study abroad program in Spain, offering students immersive global experiences, and integrates service-learning and professional mentorship into her courses to prepare students for meaningful careers.

Known for her compassion and encouragement, Brunner is described by students and colleagues as the kind of professor who brings out the best in others and supports their success far beyond the classroom. A respected scholar in public relations and communication, she has authored or edited five books, published more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles, and delivered numerous national presentations that have shaped the field of public relations education. Her many honors—including the AEJMC PRIDE Educator Award, membership in Auburn’s Global Teaching Academy, and recognition as both an Auburn Alumni Professor and Provost’s Excellence in Teaching and Learning Award recipient—reflect her lasting influence on students, colleagues, and the profession.

Assistant Professor Sayyed Fawad Ali Shah received an Emerging Faculty Creative Research and Scholarship Award.

Shah is recognized for his influential research in journalism studies, particularly his groundbreaking work on journalist safety and mental well-being in nations with authoritarian governments. His scholarship has been cited more than 500 times, including in three United Nations policy papers, and has been published in leading journals such as Health Communication, Digital Journalism, and Journalism Studies. He also serves as co-chair of the Health Communication Working Group of the International Association of Media and Communication Research.

Shah has received multiple distinctions for his scholarship, including a Top Paper Award from the National Communication Association and the prestigious Athena Fellowship from Germany’s Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. Prior to academia, Shah spent nearly a decade as a journalist covering war, ethnic and religious conflict, crime, education, health, and climate. His reporting, featured in local, national, and international outlets, continues to inform his academic work and enrich his teaching, bridging the worlds of journalism practice and research.

Assistant Professor Brian Delaney received an Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award.

An assistant professor in the School of Communication and Journalism, Delaney specializes in sports reporting and newswriting. Since joining the faculty in 2021, he has revised key journalism courses, developed a master course shell to strengthen consistency in Newswriting, and led initiatives that contributed to the program’s successful reaccreditation. He also spearheaded the creation of Auburn’s first program-specific guidelines for the use of AI in journalism education.

A former professional sports journalist, Delaney brings real-world newsroom experience into the classroom while pursuing research on pedagogy and cognitive modeling theory in journalism education. He has co-led research projects on AP Style learning and regularly publishes and presents in academic and professional forums. Widely praised as a mentor and innovative teacher, Delaney is known for his accessibility, student-centered approach and commitment to preparing the next generation of journalists to thrive in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

The recipients will be formally recognized at the annual Faculty Awards ceremony in November, which brings together faculty, students and university leadership to celebrate Auburn’s academic distinction. A full list of honorees is available on the Faculty Awards website. The awards are coordinated by the Office of the Provost.

Tags: Communication and Journalism Faculty