By Julie Rodrick ’24
“Wofford is the place where I learned how to learn.”
That is the theme Ellison Barber ’12 plans to emphasize during her Opening Convocation address at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 5, in Leonard Auditorium.
It’s also a theme at the core of Wofford’s mission. “Ellison Barber epitomizes our mission to prepare students for extraordinary and positive contributions to a global society,” says Dr. Nayef Samhat, president of the college. “We’re excited to have her on campus so our students, faculty and staff can learn firsthand about her rich experiences and how her Wofford education has shaped her personally and professionally.”
Halfway through her senior year at Wofford, Barber realized she wanted to be a journalist, but she had no experience in the field. She graduated and took a job as a researcher at a start-up online outlet in Washington, D.C., but she could not shake the feeling that she should be pursuing what she loves — journalism.
So, Barber decided to teach herself about the profession. She ordered old versions of textbooks she had found on the syllabi of online journalism classes. She studied them every evening after work.
“I wasn’t afraid to dive into a new field because I knew that my experience at Wofford would continue to serve me well,” says Barber.
Her hard work paid off with positions as a general assignment reporter at Fox News and WUSA9, a CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. Then, she joined the NBC News team as a correspondent in 2020.
Barber spent months on the ground reporting about the war in Ukraine and covering conflicts in South America and the Caribbean. She also reported live outside the United States Capitol as a mob attacked and overtook the building.
Her many accolades include a News & Documentary Emmy Award in 2022 and an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Emerging Journalist in 2023. She has been nominated again this year.
“Ellison Barber’s brand of journalism is emblematic of who we are as Terriers, and I couldn’t be prouder to call her a colleague and friend,” says Craig Melvin ’01, NBC TODAY Show host and correspondent. “She’s curious, tenacious and uses our platform to highlight the stories of the marginalized. She raises her hand to go places and bears witness from the front lines, knowing it’s dangerous but also understanding those are the most important stories of our time.”
“She’s also pretty cool,” Melvin adds. “She represents the best of Wofford and journalism.”