A recent Florida A&M University graduate has become a professor at her alma mater. Aleya Bradley, born in Orlando, graduated from FAMU’s School of Journalism and Graphic Communication in December 2018.
Bradley had enrolled as a pre-nursing student in the fall of 2013.
Growing up, Bradley was always close with her family, so it was no surprise when her family experienced financial problems that her initial reaction was to go home. She put her education on hold and found other routes to live in her passion.
Working full-time to help her family, Bradley developed an interest in retail and worked her way up the ladder to become an assistant manager.
Although her time back home with her family was pleasant, after a major heartbreak, Bradley felt it was time for a change and decided to go back to school and pursue her dreams full-time.
“I remember going back to j-school and introducing myself to Professor [Kenneth] Jones and just letting him know I wanted to come back to school but didn’t know where to start,” Bradley said. “He walked me down to [William] Hudson’s office and helped me with a bunch of paperwork and just got me started.”
Although it was not easy, with the push from a few professors like Angeline Taylor, Jiles, Jones and Kalisha Whitman, Bradley was able to find her way back in SJGC and found a new profound love for teaching by way of mentoring in the Big Sister Little Sister organization.
Bradley worked for the past two years as a producer at Midway-based WTXL. During this time, she discovered her love for FAMU and decided she would find her way back after graduate school — and that she did.
Bradley first started off as an adjunct professor this summer and then returned in the fall as a full-time visiting assistant professor teaching broadcast announcing and advanced TV news.
William Jiles, the journalism division director, believes Bradley will do well at her alma mater.
“I feel very good about Bradley returning to SJGC, I think she’s going to have a great impact on the students here,” he said. “She has been out in the professional world, and she understands the cutting-edge material in a newsroom that the students need.”
Beyond the professors who have seen her go from a student to a professional, students are also excited to see what new opportunities she brings to the school.
“I’ve only had Miss Bradley since the beginning of fall semester and I already love her,” Calvin Williams, a student who is enrolled in her broadcast announcing class, said. “She is extremely understanding of the new culture so I know that she will only add to the excellence of j-school professors.”
As Bradley continues in her transition, she plans to instill her own drive and success in FAMU’s students.