Southern University professor selected for 2026 Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship

Southern University professor selected for 2026 Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship

Darrell Roberson, co-director and chair of the digital media arts program and Title III activity director at Southern University and A&M College, has been selected for the 2026 Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowship.

The fellowship, awarded by the Television Academy Foundation in Hollywood, California, supports educators from community colleges and minority-serving institutions in attending the foundation's annual Media Educators Conference.

The three-day conference will take place Oct. 21-23 at the Television Academy's North Hollywood campus, connecting college educators with television industry professionals through seminars on the art, science and business of television.

"I'm honored to be one of 18 faculty members from universities around the country selected as a 2026 Alex Trebek Legacy Fellow and to represent Southern University," Roberson said. "I look forward to bringing back ideas and connections that can help us build our program, prepare our students, and benefit the university."

Roberson and fellow co-director Harry Anderson Sr. lead Southern's digital media arts program. The program is designed to equip students with both creative and technical skills, and combines hands-on production experience with a strong foundation in theory, humanities, and digital technologies. Roberson teaches video editing and sports production and helps develop the studios where students gain hands-on experience in digital media.

This year, Roberson helped organize Southern's inaugural Digital Media Arts Conference and second annual Digital Media Arts Symposium, bringing students together with working media professionals.

Established in 2021 by the Harry & Judy Friedman Family Foundation, the Alex Trebek Legacy Fellowships honor the late Alex Trebek, longtime host of the television game show Jeopardy! The program provides financial support to educators seeking to enhance their teaching and strengthen connections between academic programs and the television industry.