Hall of Achievement
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SOJC Honors Lifetime Achievement
Land dream job: Check. Produce groundbreaking work: Check. Win awards: Check. Our graduates often achieve illustrious careers as journalists, authors, filmmakers, communication strategists, and media researchers. In 1998, we established the Hall of Achievement to celebrate our century-long legacy and connect students with successful alumni. Meet the best of the best—they all got their start at the SOJC.
Meet the 2024 Inductees
Pulitzer Prize–Winning Photojournalist, Venue Photo Manager, Independent Photography Pro
Steve Dykes is a three-time Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist with a rich background in newspaper and documentary photography. He specializes in sports, portrait, and travel photography and has covered many major sporting events, from the Super Bowl to the Olympics. He freelanced for the Associated Press and the Los Angeles Times before becoming a staff photographer at the Times, then a staff photographer/editor at Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post. Steve also works as a venue photo manager at major events supporting the world’s best photographers.
President, Jordan Brand, NIKE, Inc.
Sarah Mensah is President of Jordan Brand, NIKE, Inc., stewarding all aspects of the globally resonant brand. She previously served as vice president and general manager (VP/GM) of Nike North America, leading the company’s largest geography. Prior to that, Sarah was VP/GM of Nike’s Asia, Pacific, and Latin America (APLA) geography, making her the first Black woman to hold the title of geography general manager at the company. Prior to joining Nike in 2013, Sarah spent 19 years with the Portland Trail Blazers, last serving as senior vice president and chief operating officer.
Journalism Professor; Author; Founder, Director, and Designer at Orion
William “Bill” Ryan, an international expert on visual communication, made extraordinary contributions to the SOJC through 27 years of teaching in addition to publications and creative work. He was a recipient of the prestigious campus-wide Ersted Award and SOJC’s Marshall Award for Innovation in Teaching. He authored five editions of the landmark textbook Graphic Communications Today. He was also a co-founder of the school’s award-winning Flux magazine, and was instrumental in the creation of Ethos, a student magazine focused on diversity and ethnicity.
2024 Eric Allen Outstanding Young Alumni Award
Photo Editor, Office of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris; Founder, Black Women Photographers
Polly Irungu is a Kenyan-born multimedia journalist who made history in 2022 when she became the first-ever photo editor for the office of U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. She is also the founder of Black Women Photographers, a global community and directory of 1,000+ Black women and nonbinary photographers. As a self-taught photographer, writer, and founder, Polly’s work has been published in numerous publications, including Adobe’s Create Magazine, the New York Times, Reuters, Global Citizen, NPR, BBC News, the Washington Post, BuzzFeed, CNN, and many others.
Hall of Achievement Scholarship Fund
We’re always on the lookout for future Hall of Achievement members. Each year, our generous donors fund scholarships for students who have the potential to make an impact in the field. Please consider supporting SOJC students by giving to the Hall of Achievement Student Scholarship fund.