One of the School of Media and Public Affairs’ most prominent alumni has risen to become CNN’s chief political correspondent, Variety reported Monday.

Dana Bash, a 1993 alumna, will fill the position that has been open at CNN since December, when Candy Crowley left the network after 27 years. Bash had previously served as CNN’s chief congressional correspondent, covering news in the U.S. House and Senate, according to her CNN biography page.

Bash has visited campus a few times since receiving her bachelor’s degree in political communication, most recently in October 2011 when she was part of a panel discussion about covering politics. She also spoke at Colonials Weekend in 2009 to talk about her career in journalism.

Bash has won awards including the Dirksen Award from the National Press Foundation in 2010 for her work at CNN, her CNN biography page reads. She has covered the U.S. Congress since 2006 with the network and also helped to produce “Late Edition with Frank Sesno,” the weekend show hosted by the SMPA director.