When Dr. Brian Delaney arrived at Auburn University in 2021, he stepped into the classroom with a simple philosophy: students learn journalism best by living it. Three years later, he is being recognized for transforming that philosophy into a powerful model of teaching, mentorship and student success.
Dr. Brian Delaney
On November 18, Delaney will be among this year’s recipients of the Auburn University Alumni Undergraduate Teaching Excellence Award, a distinction made even more meaningful because it is driven by nominations from alumni and former students who credit his teaching and mentorship with shaping their success. For his students and colleagues, however, the recognition feels long overdue.
A former sports journalist with deep experience in professional newsrooms, Delaney teaches some of the most popular and sought-after courses in Auburn’s journalism program, including Newswriting, Sports Reporting and Advanced Sports Reporting. Structuring his classes to function more like working newsrooms than traditional lectures, students are expected to pitch stories, conduct interviews, collaborate in reporting teams and undertake real deadlines that mirror the pace and pressure of the industry.
“It means everything to know that you've had such a strong positive impact on students who have a lot of amazing professors” Delaney said. “Having that recognition from the students you've had a chance to work with is meaningful and is something that I very much value and am proud of. As a teacher, that really is the impact you hope you can make.”
But what truly distinguishes Delaney is not just how he teaches, but rather how he invests in the lives and aspirations of his students.
With a reputation for leading classes often described as energizing, conversational and deeply relevant, many of his students view his classroom as a place where they feel supported, challenged and inspired. With a teaching philosophy that emphasizes mentorship, Delaney is often found reviewing his students’ work, offering career advice and championing their successes long after graduation.
“He cares about his students in a way that is rare,” Stuart Dyos, a 2024 graduate added. “He challenges us, believes in us, and makes us feel like real journalists from day one. His class didn’t just make me better at writing. It made me more confident in who I am and what I can do.”
Delaney’s impact extends well beyond the classroom. Within the journalism program, he has helped lead major curriculum revisions, built a master course shell that strengthens consistency across Newswriting sections, contributed to the program’s successful reaccreditation and spearheaded new faculty guidelines on the use of AI in journalism education.
His research, which focuses on pedagogy and cognitive modeling, directly informs these efforts. By bringing his scholarship into practice every day, Delaney blends theoretical insight with hands-on application in ways that benefit both students and colleagues.
For Justin Blankenship, associate director of the journalism program and Delaney’s nominator, this award acknowledges far more than strong teaching. It recognizes a colleague whose leadership, collaboration and steady presence elevate the entire program.
“Hiring Dr. Delaney was one of the best decisions our program has ever made,” Blankenship wrote. “He exemplifies the passion, dedication and integrity we all hope to see in an Auburn faculty member.”
While this year’s ceremony celebrates the outstanding faculty who help drive Auburn’s mission forward, for Delaney, the honor reflects the countless conversations, late-night emails, rewritten drafts and quiet moments of encouragement that have shaped the lives of so many young journalists.
“You're so supported here at Auburn that it's almost weird to accept an individual award. It's not something that exists at every school,” Delaney added. “What we have in place here values good teaching, promotes it and works to actively support it.”
To learn more about Delaney and this year’s other recipients, visit the Faculty Awards website.
