The longtime educator, journalist and community advocate brings a passion for storytelling, student mentorship and community engagement to the Department of Journalism.
Ghislaine Lewis believes everyone has a story to tell – and her role as an educator is to help students discover the stories they are uniquely equipped to share.
That philosophy now guides Lewis in a new setting. This fall, the longtime educator, journalist and community advocate joined Elon University’s School of Communications as an assistant professor of journalism.
Lewis joins Elon after nine years at the University of Lynchburg, where she served as the university’s only journalism professor and advised the student-run newspaper, The Critograph.
Lewis’ path to journalism was an unexpected one. A computer science major at Randolph-Macon Women’s College, she took her first communications course during her first year and quickly became drawn to the field. She later pursued a master’s degree in journalism from Florida A&M University and Ph.D. in media and communication from the University of Canterbury.
Lewis’ research focuses on the intersection of news, media and sovereignty, particularly in the relationship between China and the Caribbean through the Belt and Road Initiative. She is exploring how Chinese investment, climate change, and the legacy of colonization affect Caribbean nations and their relationships within the United States.
The new Elon professor brings that same sense of exploration to the classroom. Lewis encourages students to explore their interests and recognizes that careers in journalism do not have to follow a linear path.
“I think my teaching philosophy is that everybody can be a storyteller,” Lewis said. “My job in a classroom is always to help you find your niche; help you find the things that you are interested in.”
Lewis’ introduction to Elon came not as a job candidate, but as a parent touring campus with her daughter. She said Elon’s liberal arts foundation and emphasis on global education stood out to her.
Outside the classroom, Lewis has remained deeply involved in community work. Her efforts were recognized with the YWCA of Central Virginia’s Woman of Distinction Award and the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities’ Humanitarian Award. Lewis said the recognition matters most because it draws attention to the communities and organizations she works with.
Now at Elon, Lewis said she looks forward to becoming part of the Department of Journalism community.