Hattiesburg-- A Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist and a former Mississippi Power public relations executive have joined the faculty of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern Mississippi for the 2006-07 academic year.
 
Clarence Williams, a veteran photojournalist who won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for feature photography while he was working for the Los Angeles Times, will serve as distinguished visiting lecturer in photojournalism.

Kurt Brautigam, who for the past eight years was manager of external communications for the Mississippi Power Company, will serve as distinguished visiting lecturer in public relations.

“We couldn’t be happier about having these two multitalented professionals joining the faculty,” said Dr. Chris Campbell, director of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism.  “They’ll be bringing a remarkable amount of real-world experience to the classroom, and their enthusiasm is infectious.”

Williams was a staff photographer for the Los Angeles Times from 1995 to 2003.  He won the Pulitzer for a project that documented the plight of young children with parents addicted to alcohol and drugs.  He was also named Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists in 1997.  He is a native of Philadelphia, Pa., and a graduate of Temple University.

He is currently working on a long-term project supported by the Open Society Institute chronicling New Orleans’ recovery from Hurricane Katrina, focusing on the impact that reconstruction efforts will have on the racial composition of the city. 

Williams will teach undergraduate photojournalism classes and will work with journalism faculty and students on the After Katrina Newswire, a multimedia journalism project in which students are covering the region’s recovery from Hurricane Katrina.

“Clarence is one of the most committed journalists you’ll find anywhere,” said Campbell.  “He’s covered stories all over the world and he’s a real believer that photojournalists can change societies.  He understands the importance of our journalism program and that we’re at an exciting place at an important time in history.  He’s going to have a significant impact on our students and the program.” 

Brautigam, recognizable to many South Mississippians as the public face of Mississippi Power, oversaw the company’s highly regarded communications efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  He directed media relations and was responsible for developing external communication plans for all major issues affecting the company. 

Brautigam has also been responsible for public, media and community relations activities for South Mississippi Electric Power Association, Wesley Medical Center and Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association. While a student at Southern Miss and a staff member for the university’s Broadcasting and Media Production Services, he produced, directed, wrote and edited a wide variety of video and audio projects for the athletic department and other university entities.

He will teach courses in the school’s undergraduate and master’s-level public relations programs and will serve as a faculty advisor to the student chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.  Brautigam holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southern Miss, and he chaired the Board of Advisers of the School of Mass Communication and Journalism for the last three years.

“Kurt has been very committed to Southern Miss and our program for a long time,” said Dr. David Davies, the school’s associate director.  “It’s great to have him joining the faculty.  He’s a consummate professional and will be an ideal role model for our public relations students.

Williams replaces Dr. Cindy Brown, who will be on leave-of-absence during the 2006-07 academic year.  Brautigam replaces Dr. Charles Mayo, who accepted a position at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

“The late-year faculty vacancies allowed us to pursue the option of adding visiting professionals rather than traditional, academically-oriented faculty members,” said Campbell, who joined the school in July 2005.  “This is a dynamic trend employed by many of the top academic programs throughout the country. Someday, I hope the school will have a substantial endowment that will allow us to bring in visiting professionals on a regular basis.  In the meanwhile, we’re very fortunate to have the support of the university’s administration to bring in these two remarkable talents.”

The School of Mass Communications and Journalism, one of the university’s most diverse and innovative programs, enrolls over 500 students and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees.  Numerous graduates, including Kathleen Koch of CNN and Natalie Allen of NBC, have developed successful careers at many of the country’s premier media institutions.

For more information, contact Dr. Chris Campbell at 601.266.6283 or This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it .

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