The search for a new journalism program director resulted in the hiring of Maura Farrelly, Prof. Jerry Cohen (AMST) told the Justice Monday. Farrelly formerly taught at Fordham University and has been reporting for Voice of America, an international broadcast service funded by the government, for five years.Farrelly will replace Michael Socolow, who chaired the journalism program from 2001 until 2005, when he departed Brandeis for a similar position at the University of Maine. A search committee headed by Prof. Thomas Doherty (AMST) and staffed by members of the faculty, including Cohen, narrowed the field to three candidates in December and then gave students the opportunity to hear each of the candidates give a lecture as well as meet with the individual candidates.

"[Farrelly is] by far the most brilliant of the people who came," Cohen said. "Our students were just overwhelmed by her. We were overwhelmed."

Doherty declined to comment by e-mail Monday night, and Farrelly was unavailable for comment Monday night.

Faculty, students and administrators had input in the decision to hire a new journalism chair, Cohen said. He said that while the decision was not a unanimous one, all parties involved stand behind the hiring.

"In the last analysis, everyone went along with the majority opinion that she was the best person," he said. "It was a great pleasure that the administration backed the search. [But the decision] was close."

American Studies undergraduate departmental representatives Lisa Debin '06 and Julia Crantz '06, who submitted a detailed critique of each of the three finalists to the search committee, said Cohen described as a "model of student participation in this sort of thing."

"We're happy with this decision." Crantz said.

Farrelly has reported for National Public Radio, the Poynter Institute and Georgia Public Radio. She was named Journalist of the Year by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2002 in the category of news reporting, and in that same year received third place recognition in the category of radio investigative reporting at the Society of Professional Journalists Green Eyeshade Awards. Farrelly also has a Ph.D. in American religious history. Cohen said she will be teaching classes on other subjects in addition to journalism.

Cohen said he is excited about the future of the journalism program in the wake of Farrelly's hiring.

"I am a tremendous admirer of Michael Socolow, but I'm feeling better about the journalism program," he said. "She is a tremendously gifted person loaded with ideas for the journalism program.