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Cynthia Tucker Leaving Atlanta Paper to Teach at J-School

" Cynthia Tucker , one of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s highest-profile columnists for more than 20 years , is leaving the AJC to become a visiting professor at the University of Georgia’s journalism school," the Atlanta newspaper reported Wednesday.

"Tucker, who won a Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 2007, assumes her new role Aug. 12, the AJC and UGA announced Wednesday.

"They said her position at UGA will be part of a partnership between the AJC and the university’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.

"Tucker, 56, was editorial page editor of AJC from 2001 to 2009, when she moved to Washington as a political columnist in a realignment of the opinion-editorial department.

"Her last regular column appeared Sunday.

"She said Wednesday she feels 'a twinge of sadness' at ending her long run as a columnist.

" 'But I’m very excited at the prospect of teaching at a university and the opportunity that will give me to write in longer form as well,' she said, adding when asked, 'There’s definitely a book in my future.'

"Tucker said she will move back to Atlanta from Washington and commute to Athens, where she expects to start teaching a course in persuasive writing in the spring semester."

Tucker took the Washington assignment in 2009 mid the excitement of nation's first black president and the opportunities it was opening for black journalists.

She said then, "This new opportunity not only gives me a chance to witness a historic presidency up close, but it also allows me to focus on what citizens all over the country are focused on — politics out of Washington."

In a Thanksgiving 2009 column, Tucker described for readers how she had adopted a baby girl who was then 11 months old .

"Being a single mom definitely enters into the picture," Tucker told Journal-isms on Wednesday. "The university life is a better fit.

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