Aida Delano | University of Rhode Island

“This is a story about healing and hope … I was able to witness both grief and resilience firsthand and share a powerful story with the local community.”

Aidan Wirtz | University of Iowa

“When I pitched the story, I thought it was kind of a crazy idea. It sounded silly in its nature, but the more I talked to the players the more I realized how much that chair and later, how much that story, meant to them.” 

Anna Cecil | Franklin College

“I’m so excited to continue doing journalism after college with State Affairs. Without TheStatehouseFile.com, I know I wouldn’t be nearly as ready as I am today to be a professional journalist— not just a student reporter.”

Anthony Cruz | Florida International University

“This story by Anthony Cruz detailed the loping history of abuse in centers that have been crowded by ICE detentions of migrants. It took 10nth in the Hearst investigative competition. The writer is working as a production assistant at NBC Channel 6 in Miami.” – Charles Strouse

Ashley Berry | University of Alabama

Ashley is starting her career as a multimedia journalist with KY3 (KYTV) in Springfield, Missouri.

Avonlea Woodward | Utah State University

“You actually get to go and produce, work on your stories, instead of just sit down and read about it. You actually get to do it. It’s a super cool feeling. It showed me that I really like journalism and that I’d really like to be on TV. It gave me such a passion about this field that I already knew I kind of liked, but didn’t know I’d like it that much. It was really cool.” 

Brinda Patel | The College of New Jersey

“I learned a valuable lesson about having confidence throughout this internship. At first the experience of going to legislative sessions and introducing myself to lawmakers for quotes was jarring, but as time went on, I realized it was a much needed experience to understand that despite their fiery rhetoric, they are genuine human beings. These lawmakers are balancing the ins and outs of the high-pressure political environment. That was the highlight of my internship and I thank my mentors for the opportunity to grow as a writer and as a person!”

Caden Baird | University of Kansas

“Being part of GMIC is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made at KU.”

Candy Fontana Verde | University of Florida

“This story means a lot to me because it was my first time covering a crime and investigative story. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, but I think those experiences are what help you grow the most as a reporter. I spent a lot of time working on it through conversations with my editor, reviewing cases, speaking with victims, making difficult phone calls and rewriting the story several times. In the end, all of that work turned into something I’m really proud of. I think it’s important to cover stories that impact the community and help people better understand what’s happening around them.”

Casey Mann | University of Arkansas

Casey Mann is an honors undergraduate student studying multimedia journalism and political science at the University of Arkansas. She currently serves as News Editor for The Arkansas Traveler and as Secretary for the university’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. Casey also works as a reporter and spot producer for NWA’s NPR affiliate station, KUAF 91.3 Public Radio. She previously completed an internship at EWTN Vatican in Rome, Italy. Her reporting for The Razorback Reporter focuses primarily on the impact of federal legislation on the environment.

Cora Perkins | Virginia Commonwealth University

“This article recently won the SPJ Region 2 award for Science/Environment Reporting, and it was one of several done at the end of the semester that attempted to track all of the changes occurring under the new Trump administration and put them into a context people could understand. We had a few others that tackled cuts to the DOE, the national parks, libraries, healthcare and more, but this one had such strong sourcing in it to show the impact of NOAA cuts.” – Alix Bryan-Campos

Ellie Sennhenn | University of Rhode Island

“It was a great experience to visit a news desert like Exeter, speak to residents before and after the meeting, and feel like I was bringing new information to a town seldom covered.”

Elise Meyers | Community College of Baltimore County

“While researching information about dirt bikes in Baltimore, I found an organization called B-360. As I learned more about what the organization does and what it has achieved, I shifted my focus toward how it has positively impacted Baltimore’s dirt bike community.”

Grace Tran | SUNY Oneonta

A video production major, Grace first stepped into journalism in spring 2025. She had a summer 2025 internship at a local news outlet doing video production. That has become a summer 2026 internship at the Albany CBS affiliate. She also produced a national video campaign to promote college reporting among all students.

Jacob Meyers | John Carroll University

“Writing for mainstream media as a college student has provided a valuable opportunity to understand better the role journalism plays in local communities. Contributing to professional news outlets has offered insight into the reporting process, from interviewing sources to working on deadlines and adapting stories for different audiences. These experiences have highlighted the importance of accuracy, community engagement and thoughtful storytelling in today’s media landscape.

Working with outlets such as Cleveland.com, The Land and the Medina Gazette has shown how journalism can serve communities in different ways. From regional coverage to hyperlocal reporting, each publication approaches storytelling with a focus on informing readers and highlighting issues that matter. Seeing how journalists build trust through clear, responsible reporting has been especially meaningful and has deepened my understanding of the profession.

As a college student pursuing a career in journalism, I have found that these experiences have reinforced the value of hands-on learning outside the classroom. Writing for mainstream media has helped strengthen reporting and communication skills while offering a firsthand look at the responsibilities and impact of local journalism. It has also demonstrated the importance of young journalists contributing to newsrooms and learning from experienced professionals.”

Kara Carrell | California State University

“I really enjoyed learning more about the history of the East L.A. Classic and how it has impacted families in East L.A. for decades. Speaking with students, parents, and faculty about the importance of this rivalry game, and being able to share those stories with a wider audience, was such a meaningful experience.”

Madelyn Nonni | Vermont State University Castleton Campus

“Working with Community News Service has been monumental to my career thus far, allowing me to have my stories published across Vermont. Without it, I would’ve never gotten the span of coverage I have, especially with my story from The Spartan on the group of Vermont State University students who traveled to the Arctic for research last year! It was published 8 times, in outlets like VTDigger, Vermont Business Magazine, and the Rutland Herald. That story meant so much to those who were part of the research and to be featured in so many publications was truly a privilege!”

Megan Klein | University of Iowa

“Iowa Community News was such a meaningful capstone experience for me! I loved the opportunity to get out into the community, meet new people, and tell stories I may not have discovered otherwise. Reporting on the apple orchard in Mount Vernon was a perfect example of that. It helped me learn more about the community, strengthen my interviewing and writing skills, and appreciate the stories happening in Iowa towns. Plus, getting sent home with cider, treats, and an amazing caramel apple cheesecake made the experience even more memorable.”

Michelle Grisales | SUNY Stony Brook

Michelle Grisales is entering her second summer as a SUNY Institute for Local News intern. She also interned this year at WSHU.

Mona Abou | University of Vermont

“Being a reporter allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and learn more about communities in Vermont. Over the past year, being a part of CNS has improved my communication and writing skills greatly.”

Natalia Lopez | University of Florida

“As an aspiring sports reporter, I enjoy being able to immerse myself in the community and gain hands-on experience through uncovering local stories. As a student reporter, I think having the opportunity to learn as much as I can and see the outcome is what motivates me every day.”

Nathan Laird | St. Bonaventure University

“This story helped me understand the importance of journalism. I’d driven past the Olean Center Mall dozens of times, thinking it was nothing but another slowly dying shopping center. Once I started writing about it, though, I realized there was a lot more to it. From hearing about how lively it used to be to learning of the ongoing drama surrounding its remodeling, I’m glad I was able to share its story with the community.”

Rachel McCrea | University of Maryland

“These county summaries accompany a series — “Local Warming–Climate Change in Maryland” — that we began work on last spring and just concluded this week. What’s notable about the county-by-county summaries is that they are based on federal data that our student Rachel McCrea archived, anticipating that the Trump administration would delete the data –which it subsequently did. We’ve since been sharing that data with any archive or library that wants it.” – Jerry Zremski

Sofía Oyarzún | Columbia College Chicago

“What is most fulfilling to me about this award is that it draws more attention to the story of the Aguijón Theater that I was so fortunate to be able to tell. Writing about their history, values and projects was an absolute honor, and to do it bilingually I feel educates that many more communities in Chicago, by expanding access. To gain recognition for helping those communities learn from each other is a reminder of how important the work we as journalists do is.”

Steven Lopez | California State University

“Working on this story was a valuable experience because it challenged me to breakdown a complex and important environmental issue in a way that readers could understand, while strengthening my skills in investigative reporting.”

Victor Menendez | SUNY Brockport

Victor served double duty on the school newspaper while also doing local reporting for the school’s community publication, Canalside Chronicles.