Published:
Aimee Crawford will serve as the next Robert C. Vance Endowed Chair in Journalism and Mass Communication at Central Connecticut State University. She will begin her tenure this fall.
The Vance chair funds the appointment of prominent professionals and scholars in the fields of journalism and communications to the Central faculty. Central established the chairmanship in 2000 in honor of Vance, a former Connecticut newspaper publisher and a longtime university supporter.
“I am thrilled to return to Central Connecticut University, where my teaching journey began, and honored to follow in the footsteps of esteemed journalists such as John Dankosky, Carolyn Lumsden, and Stan Stimpson as the Vance chair,” Crawford says.
“Central is a special place. As a student-centered, First-Generation Forward institution, the university is uniquely positioned to change the game — and shape the next generation of sports media leaders and innovators— by bringing new voices and perspectives into the profession,” she adds.
Crawford brings nearly 30 years of professional experience in several areas of media to Central. Her career as a journalist began at The Sporting News, then continued at Sports Illustrated, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, and ESPN, where she was a senior editor for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. Crawford was part of the ESPN team that won a 2019 Peabody Award for its work on “Spartan Silence: Crisis at Michigan State” as well as the 2019 Gold Telly Award for Best Online Talk Show for “Being Believed: A Conversation with Sister Survivors.” She also co-authored a sports book for children: “All Access: Your Behind-The-Scenes Pass to Sports Stars, Locker Rooms, and More.”
For the past three years, she served as an assistant professor of Communications at Springfield College, and this summer she covered the Paris Olympics for NBC Sports.
“We are fortunate to have such a seasoned journalist and experienced educator in this important role,” says Central President Zulma R. Toro. “Our students will have many new opportunities to explore the field of journalism under her leadership, and I am confident she will launch meaningful collaborations and initiatives that will benefit our entire campus community.”
Crawford holds a Master of Science in in Journalism/Magazine Publishing from Northwestern University; a Certificate in French Language and Literature from the University of Paris-Sorbonne; and a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Journalism and French from Oklahoma State University.