“I always believed you can be whatever you want to be.”
These are the words of the late Ed Bradley, who broke barriers as CBS News’ first African American White House correspondent and amassed 19 Emmys and four Peabody Awards for his reporting excellence.
Nearly 20 years after his passing, Bradley’s contributions and philosophy are shaping a new generation of journalists, including FAMU School of Journalism & Graphic Communication (FAMU SJGC) senior Joel Mitchell.
A broadcast journalism scholar, Mitchell was recently honored with an opportunity to become a torchbearer of Bradley’s legacy. He was chosen from a highly competitive applicant pool as one of only 20 students nationwide to join the 2025 cohort of the Ed Bradley Fellowship.
The honor is befitting because, like Bradley, Mitchell believes the sky is the limit.
“Although his shoes are too big to fill, I’m willing to be a reflection of him and carry the torch,” said Mitchell about the impact of the fellowship’s namesake and what it means to be selected for the opportunity. “As someone who, like him, enjoys and is passionate about sharing untold stories that shouldn’t be hidden, I am committed to engaging with every community I come across while remaining authentically me.”
Hosted by New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, Ed Bradley fellows participate in a weeklong, intensive journalism workshop organized in partnership with the Dow Jones News Fund.
The fellowship aims to increase the presence of African American men in U.S. newsrooms, support underrepresented journalists, and stress that support from allies of all backgrounds is essential to closing representation gaps.
To accomplish this goal, media leaders and news experts from around the country gathered in New York in June to mentor, train and inspire promising journalism students. Companies represented in support of the young men include ProPublica, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Dow Jones, NBCUniversal Local, NPR, CBS News, NYU Journalism, and ABC News.
Bradley was known as a storyteller who was willing to do it all, and the fellowship prepares young men like Mitchell to follow that standard as “backpack” reporters—journalists who have the flexibility to report, shoot photos and videos, and edit and produce stories.
Mitchell, who transferred to FAMU in 2023 from Tallahassee State College with an associate degree in communication and media studies, is already on the road to becoming a “do it all” storyteller.
When he stepped foot on FAMU’s campus, he made a commitment to not let any opportunity go to waste. That resolve was inspired by growing up in an immigrant Jamaican household that had to make great sacrifices to overcome disadvantages and hardships in the United States, including initial challenges with the idea of Mitchell being able to attend college.
The adversities he and his family experienced did not jade him but instead instilled in him a heart of gratitude, thanks to the wisdom of his mother.
“She taught me that respect and humility would take me as far as he wanted to go,” Mitchell said.
Her words have kept him grounded, including making personal sacrifices and spending long nights on campus to file stories, wrap up productions, complete content edits, and lend a helping hand to various students and projects.
He is part of FAMU-TV 20’s award-winning election night coverage team that led to him being honored as a finalist, alongside some of his classmates, at the 2024 Florida News Awards in the political reporting category for college television. On top of that, he’s worked as a staff writer at The FAMUAN, produced the mini-documentary “Race to 24” and served on the radio staff at WANM-90.5. And this summer, he was chosen to intern as a reporter at the Tallahassee Democrat, where he has already published nearly a dozen stories, including thought-provoking pieces on how American students and local citizens have been impacted by the Israel-Iran War.
How does he balance it all? He makes every moment, every conversation, and every space he’s in count.
“I’ve learned the ‘first eight rules’ from my Professor Kenneth Jones. Your first eight feet, eight words, and eight seconds all count in first impressions,” he said. “You have to take the initiative to fight for something you want.”
Jones, a veteran educator, journalist, producer, and filmmaker, not only sees great potential in Mitchell, but their connection is an example of the vision the organizers of the Ed Bradley Fellowship have: that mentorship and support will keep young Black men flowing in the media pipeline.
“Joel continues to consistently show a ‘can do’ attitude about his classwork and student media projects in spite of any challenges,” Jones said. “He has a strong grasp of producing stories in multimedia with strong ethics.”
FAMU-TV 20 Director Edward Thomas is hopeful about the impact Mitchell will have and the trajectory he is on to help strengthen the presence of Black males in media. He noted that Mitchell’s willingness to be cultivated and volunteer to try new things has positioned him to be able to assist with all aspects of a production, including honing his talent as an audio technician.
“The news media industry desperately needs the additional perspective of Black male journalists. It appears that voices like Ed Bradley’s have all but disappeared from the journalistic landscape. It is good to know that Joel and others like him are being trained and empowered to fill the void and carry on the torch as a new generation of reporters, producers and executives,” Thomas said.
So, with every production and every story he develops, Mitchell is answering a growing call in American journalism for more Black men to join and thrive in newsrooms, a call evidenced by Pew Research’s report that more than 80% of Black Americans say it’s important for journalists to understand their communities and historical context.
Mitchell sees himself as part of the solution. He aspires to win an Emmy and to produce and develop documentaries, short films, and features that inform, inspire, and impact. He also dreams of writing books, hosting a talk show and ultimately becoming a media mogul “whose work connects with diverse audiences worldwide.”
“Beyond my professional ambitions, I’m passionate about giving back. I plan to create an initiative dedicated to mentoring, connecting, and inspiring younger individuals—especially students and emerging creatives,” he said. “I also hope to give back to my school and the community that helped shape me.”
Jason Samuels, a professor in the Carter Journalism Institute as well as co-founder and executive director of the Ed Bradley Fellowship, said part of the fellowship’s mission is to “find promising young people and let them know there is a career for them and that they shouldn’t give up their passion for journalism.”
And with Mitchell, they’ve definitely found what they’re looking for.
“I definitely see Joel having a bright future,” Samuels said. “We want him not only to carve out for himself a successful career but also an impactful career, reporting important stories that he believes are meaningful to himself and his community.”
