Journalism

‘The gold standard of fellowships’: Scripps journalists eager to create impact

Ellie Chase — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:37:45 +0000

‘The gold standard of fellowships’: Scripps journalists eager to create impact Ellie Chase Mon, 08/10/2026 - 14:37

Ellie Chase

Journalist Ayurella Horn-Muller was freelancing for the Miami New Times when she first heard about the Ted Scripps Fellowship in Environmental Journalism at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

It was eight years ago, and she was just getting her start in journalism. Horn-Muller covered local politics, arts and culture, but found herself drawn to environmental stories. When a mentor told her about the fellowship, the program became an aspiration she carried with her for years.

Ayurella Horn-Muller moderating a panel on the current state of food rescue at the 2026 ReFED Food Waste Solutions Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by ReFED

This fall, she’s getting her wish: Horn-Muller, a staff writer at Grist, is among five journalists selected to this year’s fellowship.

“I cherish this opportunity. I’m not going to waste a single minute of it,” Horn-Muller said. “It’s always been, in my mind, the gold standard of fellowships in the journalism world.”

The Ted Scripps fellowships provide journalists education, professional development and support to produce exemplary reporting on environmental issues. The fellowship—which is housed in the Center for Environmental Journalism at the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information—offers journalists opportunities to hone their craft while spending a year auditing classes, attending seminars and pursuing an independent project.

Horn-Muller, whose reporting for the last four years has focused on climate change, food and agriculture, plans to look beyond the visible effects of environmental change to investigate how the climate crisis reveals deeper stories about ourselves.

“A fellowship like Ted Scripps offers something a newsroom can’t—time to sit with a project or subject instead of just reacting to the daily news cycle,” said Horn-Muller, whose work has appeared in national outlets such as CNN, National Geographic, The Guardian, El País and The Atlantic. She also is the author of Devoured: The Extraordinary Story of Kudzu, the Vine That Ate the South, a nonfiction environmental science book.

Her long-form investigative piece will examine what happens to a community's sense of identity when climate change disrupts the crop that defines a place. As inspiration, she mentioned the town of Yauco, in Puerto Rico—famous for its coffee farms, which were decimated during Hurricane Maria in 2017.

She will spend the academic year researching various communities whose history and economy revolve around agriculture, including Vidalia sweet onion farmers in Georgia and winter lettuce farmers in Arizona. Horn-Muller hopes to expose the cultural and psychological dimensions of the climate crisis, delving into concepts of place attachment and ecological grief.

“Journalism isn’t just about holding people in positions of power accountable,” she said. “It’s about creating a space for those without.”

This years Ted Scripps fellowship class. Jenae Barnes (upper left), Sam Brasch (upper middle), Amanda Eggert (upper right), Ayurella Horn-Muller (lower left) and Sam Price-Waldman (lower right).

This year’s group of journalists will comprise the 30th class of Scripps fellows at CMDI. Horn-Muller will be joined by Jenae Barnes, Sam Brasch, Amanda Eggert and Sam Price-Waldman.

Barnes is an award-winning journalist covering issues at the intersection of public health, environmental justice and the lived experiences of Black communities. As a fellow, she plans to research links between environmental justice issues and socioeconomic status in the U.S. and abroad.

Brasch is a public radio reporter and Colorado native who covers climate and environmental issues for Colorado Public Radio News. As a Scripps fellow, Brasch plans to study the history and science of air quality to produce podcasts and other long-form radio projects.

Eggert is an environmental journalist based in Bozeman, Montana, who focuses on housing affordability, land use and drought. Her time at CMDI will focus on the decline of Montana’s cold-water fisheries and policies that can combat that regression.

Price-Waldman, a documentary filmmaker, has produced character-driven reporting projects for HBO, Netflix, Showtime, The Atlantic, PBS and National Geographic. As a fellow, he will explore the emotional dimensions of environmental change and human relationships to the natural world.

“We are thrilled to welcome this cohort of fellows to the CEJ,” said Hong Tien Vu, associate professor of journalism and faculty director of CEJ. “Together, they reflect the full complexity of the environmental challenges our world is facing. I cannot wait to see what they produce during their time here.”

Ellie Chase is studying journalism at CMDI, with a minor in business. She covers students and student news at the college.

As it celebrates 30 years, CMDI’s environmental journalism center welcomes five fellows eager to tell stories about climate, environmental justice, water, food, recreation and more.

Off

Traditional

White

For reporters, the water beat is on fire

Joe Arney — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:50:41 +0000

For reporters, the water beat is on fire Joe Arney Fri, 07/31/2026 - 11:50

Extremely low water levels at Blue Mesa Reservoir, in Colorado’s Curecanti National Recreation Area, earlier this month demonstrate the impact of a winter with limited snowfall and a spring with record-high temperatures. Experts on CMDI’s Water Desk are helping reporters and the public understand the impacts on agriculture, recreation and life in the West. Photo by Mitch Tobin, The Water Desk.

Joe Arney

Covering climate issues in rural Colorado wasn’t the first time Caroline Llanes was tasked with reporting on water: She cut her teeth in Michigan, where she wrote about the Flint drinking water crisis, pipeline development at the Great Lakes and more.

But it was still an adjustment to go from those kinds of stories to covering the drought that’s imperiled the Colorado River and life in the western United States.

“Water issues take on a very different tone and tenor when you come out to the West,” said Llanes, now a rural climate reporter for Rocky Mountain Community Radio.

For Llanes and other reporters who dredge for stories in the ever-shallower Colorado River, a key ally in learning and mastering the beat is The Water Desk. The desk is an initiative of the Center for Environmental Journalism at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information. Its co-directors, Luke Runyon and Mitch Tobin, guide reporters on everything from snowpack tracking to beneficial use doctrines, while also encouraging connections among reporters to help them more effectively cover these topics.

“If you have a topic that you want to do a water story on, Luke says, ‘I have some subject matter experts that you can reach out to,’” Llanes said. “What makes The Water Desk so successful is they’re not afraid of a wonky story—which I love—and they are really focused on impact. Their resources are really valuable for reporters.”

Extreme fire danger

The importance of the Water Desk experts and their work has only grown in the midst of economic challenges for newsrooms and a fire season that’s burned more than 200,000 acres in Colorado, putting further strain on limited water resources.

Runyon said he knew what kind of summer he was in for after a woeful winter with extremely low snowfall and a record-warm spring that substantially shrunk snowpacks before March was out.

“This was already gearing up to be a really epic year because of some policy negotiations that were coming to a head,” said Runyon, formerly a managing editor at KUNC and host of a Murrow Award-winning podcast on the Colorado River. “Add the drought and the lack of snowpack on top of that, and it’s just been an onslaught for reporters.”

While ski resorts earned most of the headlines for recreation-related drought crises, fishing, boating, boarding and other summer pastimes have been imperiled by climate change, as well. Photo by Mitch Tobin, The Water Desk.

To prepare reporters to work on those stories, The Water Desk ran a webinar to offer insight into the kinds of topics likely to need coverage this summer. The desk also produces original reporting into climate issues: Earlier this year, Runyon went electrofishing—which is exactly what you think it is—with a Fish and Wildlife Service biologist to better understand how ecosystems are surviving as water levels plummet.

“I posted some photos of the Colorado in late April, and there’s a National Geographic editor who follows me on Instagram,” Runyon said. “And he was like, ‘This looks crazy. Should we do something about this?’”

That led to a feature in the magazine exploring the many users of a dwindling resource, and is one way his network—honed from a decade of river coverage—helps The Water Desk find experts and angles for reporters. But Water Desk experts also attend conferences and events where they can interact with the public and help answer questions around water.

It’s something he said should be a goal for reporters, even as news organizations are forced to do more with less.

“It’s so important to build more trust with your audience—to listen to the concerns of your community, and produce journalism that responds to those concerns,” Runyon said. “Mitch and I are out in the community giving talks on these issues, and it’s one of my favorite parts of the job.

“People know this issue is important—especially in a dry year—but they maybe don’t feel they have all the information, or know which questions to ask. It’s so rewarding to help people make sense of something that they know is important, but that we’ve made very complicated.”

Demystifying drought

Helping reporters demystify these complex topics for their audiences is a key mission for the desk. Runyon’s expertise was instrumental when Llanes reported on a story about how ski resorts are ramping up snow production to survive in a warmer climate. Data from The Water Desk helped her illustrate snow totals, and how much more precipitation was falling as rain, rather than snow.

“It’s so rewarding to help people make sense of something that they know is important, but that we’ve made very complicated.”

Luke Runyon, co-director, The Water Desk

“The Water Desk has all of those resources so readily available—it’s easy for reporters to find them,” Llanes said. “Even if the data don’t specifically make it into the story, those sources really help ground the piece you’re working on. It was a huge help.”

The desk also is creating opportunities for students through an internship program. A story Annie MacKeigan (MJour’26) recently published a story on how college campuses in the West maintain their bucolic splendor amid drought; that piece was picked up by NPR station KUNC and widely distributed.

“Working so closely with Luke and Mitch has been a really great way for me to understand how I should be reporting, as a journalist—but also, as someone who lives in the West in this water crisis, what needs to be shared and what should be talked about,” she said.

Those perspectives are why Hong Vu, associate professor of journalism and faculty director for the Center for Environmental Journalism, is proud of the work done on the desk.

“Water touches every life in Colorado—but the issues surrounding it are complex, polarizing, and technical,” Vu said. “What Luke and The Water Desk do to explain the challenges facing the Colorado River and the West helps people make sense of the complexity, ask more informed questions of experts and policymakers, and make better decisions for their families and communities.

“This is precisely the kind of journalism the CEJ seeks to support—reporting that bridges the gap between expert knowledge and public understanding in a healthy democracy.”

Now that she’s graduated and looking for full-time work in climate reporting, MacKeigan is able to appreciate how she improved as a reporter while being on the desk.

“Being able to see the growth in between the pieces I’ve worked on has been thrilling,” she said. “It’s been very rewarding to see how I’ve gotten better at it every time. And a big part of that is my relationship to my editors.”

Runyon is regularly asked to drag out a crystal ball and predict what future flow might look like on the river. He can’t do that, but if asked to read another set of tea leaves, he’ll tell you he expects reporters covering climate stories will have job security that’s hard to come by in the news business these days.

“When I first started covering water, you almost had to make a case for why you had somebody on the beat, because it wasn’t as pressing to people,” he said. “Now, that has changed completely. We have tons of reporters in our region who cover water. It’s a cool evolution to see how news organizations have come to realize this is a topic people are really interested in.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

A woeful winter and searing spring have thrust a spotlight on climate journalism. Reporters throughout the West have an ally in CMDI’s Water Desk.

Off

Traditional

White

Announcing the spring 2026 dean's list

Ellie Chase — Wed, 20 May 2026 16:52:41 +0000

Announcing the spring 2026 dean's list Ellie Chase Wed, 05/20/2026 - 10:52

More than 700 CMDI students were named to the dean's list for the spring semester. To qualify, students must complete at least 12 credit hours of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder coursework for a letter grade and achieve a term grade point average of 3.75 or better. Each person receives a notation on their transcripts and a letter from the dean. Congratulations to all honorees!

Zack Aarons
Matt Abatangle
Marlo Abrahamson
Logan Abrams
Kit Achar
Shea Ackman
Pilar Agostine
Quinn Ahrens
Maria Alali
Charlotte Alberti
Caitlin Alexander
Audrey Altounian
Olivia Alvarez
Ava Ambs
Alexandra Anaya
Marlowe Anderman
Ella Anderson
Julia Anderson
Jacqueline Anderson
Sierra Anguiano
Marina Araujo
Logan Arel
Liliana Arguello
Jazmin Armijo
John Armstrong
Madison Armstrong
Frances Arrighi
Preston Ashley
Ben Asphaug
SJ Bacallao
Claire Bachtel
Sarah Baggot
Alexia Bailey
Hannah Baity
Cadyn Banerian
Katie Barcroft
Caleigh Barletta
Emily Barnes
Blake Barnes
Thomas Barrett
Maddy Barth
Makdes Bass
Ellena Bassoukos
Klaire Bautz
Katie Baxter
Michael Benner
Tess Betman
Eliot Bevier Dill
Charlie Bickham
Teagan Bischoff
Katie Bixler
Miley Black
Grace Blitz
Julian Blumberg
Sophia Bobier
Ella Bode
Dylan Bole
Ella Boles
Sophia Bolich
Anvitha Bompalli
Lucia Bona
Elliot Bowen
Mckenzie Bowman
Dean Bowyer
Arielle Boxt
Grace Boyea
Reed Bracero
Anna Bradburn
Ema Bradley
Harper Bradshaw
Antonio Bravo
Olivia Brehm
Quinn Brewer
Adeline Briggs
Lily Broadhead
Finn Broderick
Jack Bronchetti
Katie Brooks
Zach Brooks
Addison Brower
Chase Browne
Lili Brownell
Emma Browning
Houston Brummet
Tessa Buchanan
Juliana Buck
Ashley Budy
Fatima Bugaighis
Isabella Burkett
Alena Burris
Brooke Bursteen
Parker Burt
Noelia Caballero
Grace Cadman
Claire Cameron
Cuauhtemoc Campos
Bianca Cano
Evan Caplan
Rhiannon Cargo
Ely Cariveau
Kaitlyn Carpenter
Harrison Carswell
Audrey Carter
Meredith Case
Madison Chasin
Mia Castro
James Cecchi
Charles Chambers
Izzie Chan
Jack Chandler
Connor Chase
Ellie Chase
Jesus Chavez
Hayden Chedid
Cameron Cheney
Avery Childs
Luke Chisholm
Michael Chow
Rachel Clapham
Emily Cleary
Avery Clifton
Emme Clymer
Morgan Coffin
Finn Cohen
Kelly Colanto
MacKenzie Cole
Sophie Coleman
Drew Collins
Breah Conradson
Andrew Conroy
Ainsley Coogan
Connor Cook
Sophie Coombs
Ripley Coope
Zenden Copeland
Braedan Corliss
Susie Cormack
Kira Covington
Marissa Crenshaw
Elizabeth Cropper
Maddie Crosier
Micah Crowe
Charlotte Croy
Aidan Crump
Eryn Cryer
Marleigh Cummins
Kaylie Cunningham
Cody Cutone
Avery Czachor
Abikael Daniel
Lacey Daniell
Olivia Darby
Hannah David
John Davis
Turner Davis
Mason Davis
Patrick Dawson
Ramon De Arcos Tapia
Brandon De Pena
Weston Deaton
Lily Defnet
Lily Delgado
Maya Demaree
Clara Denham
Maggie Derr
Eli Deutsch
Charles Deutser
Zach Dial
Leo Dienstfrey
Henry Dietz
Ava Dillon
William Dinh
Merrick Dobin
Sydney Dobriner
Campbell Dokken
Connie Dolati
Lexi Dolsak
Hunter Donovan
Emily Doskow
Sydney Dossa
Daniel Doupe
Averie Dow
Veronika Drab
Simon Drews
Veronica Dryer
Ava Dubroca
Wyatt Duesenberg
Rowan Dulfer
Carolyn Dunlap
Nicollette Dunn
Etienne Dunoyer
Emily Duvall
Olivia Dye
Ryann Dyk
Mattia Echchaibi

Ansley Edelbrock
Avery Ehrig
Collin Eisenach
Kristin Eisenrich
Maeve Eklund
Kaoutar El Ouadi
Molly Elert
Reese Elliot
Libby Emery
Isaac Emmons
Brendan Engel
Lucy Esquival
Desmond Evans
Sienna Fahey
Sofia Faraci
Liam Fehlau-Barton
Sara Fernandes
Oren Figenblat
Emerson Fine
Josie Fineberg
Anjali Flagg
Maddie Flanagan
Aidan Fliszar
William Flockton
Cecilia Florian
Soleil Floyd
Lilli Flyer
Joshua Fong
Callie Forrest
Tatum France-Kelly
Ava Frankel
Natalie Free
Ellis French
Jayne Frey
Devin Friedman
Isabelle Friedrich
Hayes Frith
Sophia Fry
Adelene Frymoyer
Lulu Fuster
Colette Gagliano
Kaija Galins
Teagan Gallagher
Rikki Gallegos
Jacalyn Gamble
Lydia Gammon
Britney Garcia
Greta Gardetto
Violet Garrard
Caitlyn Garza
Abigail Garza
Ella Gates
Samson Gear
Parker Gehde
Carly Gelfand
Callie Gendolfe
Camryn Gerchow
Olivia Gewanter
Ellie Gianola
Caroline Gilchrist
Lauren Gillespie
Danny Gillis
Tal Gispan
Giorgia Glassford
Charlie Goffinet
Susannah Goldsmith
Karlyn Gonsalves
William Gooch
Bella Goodson
Drew Gorman
Pheobe Gorman
Abby Graham
Chloe Graham
Kylie Graham
Logyn Greer
Erica Griffiths
Charlee Grinstead
Lily Groten
Vicky Gutierrez
Owen Guzik
Eva Gyawali
Marin Hackney
Ava Hagan
Evi Hager
Paxton Haines
Sabina Hall
Mack Hammond
Norah Hampford
Mackenzie Hanlon
Ashley Elizabeth Hansen
Sabrina Harris
Brooke Harris
Shaela Hart
Lanier Harvey
Bennett Harvey
Nick Haseman
Josie Hayes
Skyler Haynie
Brooke Haynie
Madison Hays
Caroline Hecht
Ethan Heffern
Makayla Heinke
Alexis Henning
Will Henrickson
Dani Hermosillo
Vanessa Hernandez
Isabella Hernandez Jeppesen
Emily Herrmann
Jane Hershberger
Brandon Heydenreich
Megan Hill
Grace Hilliard
Malley Hirschle
Charlotte Hobosn
Hannah Hoffman
Jason Hoffman
Ellie Hoffman
Jackson Hoffman
Serena Holcomb
Jimmy Holda
Ella Holden
Audrey Ann Holsomback
Caden Homlish
Dylan Hommes
Grier Hopkins
Caleb Horwitz
Taylar Houck
Mira Hougen
Jordan Houten
Emily Howard
Brooklyn Howard
Taylor Hoyt
Maddie Hughes
Livia Hughes
Ronan Huizar
Ellie Hultgren
Wyatt Humble
Daniela Hunt
Camille Hunt
Elliette Igel-Manvitz
Maddie Inglis
Maxine Rosa Inman
Lauren Insul
Sasha Isaacman
Jules Isenberg
Isabella Jackson
Reed Jacobs
Paige Jaegar
Savannah Allyssa Jameson
Emilie Janzen
Grace Jenks
Alana Jenks
Annika Jobanputra
Mia Jochamowitz-Endersby Chikhani
Micah Johnson
Addison Johnson
Liv Johnstad
Teegan Johnstone
Lucien Juilland-King
Max Julian
Charlie Kahane
Doris Kahler
Nina Kanavati
Helen Karnstedt
Bailey Karraker
Skye Karsh
Dylan Kay
Catherine Kaynor
Henry Kelty
Rachel Kennedy
Caleb Kennedy
John Kerklo
Riley Kerstiens
Ella Kest
Amy Kibort
Meika Kinsey
Avery Kissinger
Ava Klein
Alexa Kofman
Jon Kolvereid
Colton Kominski
Ella Komo
Cecilia Konrad
Rian Korb
Jess Kotmel
Ava Kozlak
Sydney Kraabel
Ella Krelovich
Juliana Kirgsman
Katie Krochalis
Simone Kruger
Remi Krupinski
Maria Kuhn
Viktoriya Kukarekina
Avery Kunkel

Brayden Kurzawa
Genevieve Kuykendall
Emily Kwon
Amy Labontu
Genevieve Lacey
Devin Lafave
Ella LaMura
Gabi Larocque
Blake Larson
Maddie Lasker
Simon Lauritzen
Emerson Layne
Nicolai Lazarev
Alex Lazarou
Camille Leach
Lou Leclercq
Alice Lee
Chloe Legere
Peighton Lemp
Aubrey Leneweaver
Miles Lerner
Matt Lerner
Brian Leuthold
Sierra Leverich
Zoë Levitt
Inga Lexa
Kara Liguori
Jasmin Lin
Ahnnali Lindgren
Isabelle Lingo
Mia Lioudis
Margaret Lipscomb
Luke Lloyd
Leif Lomo
Lauren Lopez
Deborah Loseke
Hayes Louden
Linus Loughry
Lucy Lu
Julia Luther
Julia Maclean
Scarlett Maguire
Maxwell Majors
Devon Malling
Jon Mani
Lily Maniotes
Andrew Manson
Alexis Manzo
Nicholas Marcin
Annaliese Markel
Moses Markels
Tyler Markus
Jackson Martin
J Martinez
Eloise Masciola
Andrew Mason
Carolyn Mason
Luca Mastroeni
Nikki Mastroianni
Sarah Matarelli
Cashel Matus
Kylah McAuliffe
Finn Mccarthy
Adri McCarville
Audrey McClure
Evan Mccormick
John Mcdermott
Lucia Mcgetrick-Dima
Matthew McGovern
Madison Mcguire
Annalise McIntosh
Grace Mckee
Delaney Mckernan
Megan Mckew
Sydney Mclaughlin
Abbey McMahon
Jordan Mcphee
Margaret McQueen
Alan Medved
Yordanos Mehari
Ava Melen
Ryan Melson
Alex Melvin
Claire Mercer
Ava Marias
Tatum Merrill
Chase Messner
Olivia Meyers
Hailey Miller
Allison Miller
Channing Miller
Maggie Miller
Brooklyn Miller
Ellen Miller
Madeline Mims
Maya Miniati
Amanda Mitry
Ella Mobeck
Hudson Mobley
Wyatt Moeller
Ashley Mohrbach
Jayde Moniz
Gigi Montgomery
Justice Montoya
Emily Moore
Felipe Moore
Brianna Morgan
Ben Morlan
Adrien Morlet
Jenna Morley
Maya Morse
Mia Mosebrook
Gabriel Mrochek-Moore
Ally Murphy
Rue Murray
Mason Mutz
Addie Myers
Natalie Myslinski
Hailey Nagel
Nicholas Nedostup
Caitlin Neil
Remi Netupsky
Corey Neumeier
Natalie Newmann
Taylor Nichols
Taylor Nickerson
Rebecca Niewood
Rebecca Nishizawa
Grayce Norden
Madeline Northman
Dulce Nunez
Lila Nuttle
Nora O-connor
Quinn O'donnell
Rosie O'Farrell
Aidan O'flynn
Olivia O'Haver
Taylor Oldenburg
Justin Olschewsky
Annabelle Olson
Sofia Olsson
Brinley O'neill
Alexandra Organa
Finn O'Riley
Annika Ort
Maddie Osterkamp
Jonathan Ostrom
Alina Ouligian
Emmett Owenby
Izzy Paradiso
Aly Pardo
Katy Parks
Harley Parsons
Haley Patterson
Kaya Patterson
Madelyn Payne
Trevor Peck
Ingrid Pehrson
Izzy Pell
Lily Pemberton
Salem Peralta
Jaclyn Pereira
Kennedy Perez
Emma Perlmutter
Eliza Perry
Anthony Petro
Ellie Phillips
Bell Piccirillo
Sophia Pike
Mackenzie Pinksa
Elizabeth Piper
Alison Plagge
Skye Platto
Lily Podowski
Sydney Polacek
Lilly Polak
Ashley Pomeroy
Norah Pope
Phoebe Potischman
Elle Pottinger
Dax Prata
Bradley Pratt
Jamie Pressdee
Ingrid Preusser
Addisson Pribble
Trevor Price
Elle Price
Christina Proctor
Mackenna Proffitt
Sutton Raeburn
Samantha Ramirez
Lia Rapka
Stella Ratto
Maya Raulf
Nick Rauscher
Madelyn Ray

Quentin Rebholtz
Molly Reed
Jenna Reed
Hailey Reed
Anna Rehak
Sebastian Reid
Jack Remington
Ella Revivo
Grace Rhile
Brody Rhodes
Peyton Rhodes
Conner Richardson
Mesa Ridgik
Katie Ridgway
Peri Riegner
Maire Riley
Tessa Ring
Jack Rittinger
Jackie Rivera
Eliza Roberts
Michael Robinson
Sarah Robinson
Kate Rogers
Laura Rogers
Aly Rosado
Jenna Rose
Sierra Rosen
Alison Rosenbaum
Eli Rosenthal
Sierra Rossman
Jane Roth
Taylor Roth
Giova Rubenstein
Sophie Rubinstein
Reagan Russell
Sam Russo
Niamh Ryan
Danni Sackstein
Brooklyn Sadler
Sosan Safi
Ana Salazar-Terrazas
Joaquin Salinas
Eloisa Samper
Kevin Sanchez
Yahir de Jesus Sanchez Diaz
Carson Sanders
Lydia Sarbacker
Melanie Scanlon
Kate Schaefer
Stephanie Schmitt
Addie Schneider
Jaimie Schoenke
Holly Schofield
Sydney Schrader
Teagan Schreiber
Ben Schweiger
Paige Searl
Ella Seevers
Iris Serrano
Olivia Shachtman
Krish Shah
Ava Shanrock
Red Shaw
Natalie Sheehan
Charlee Sheinbaum
Jenna Shenbaum
Daniel Sher
Ryan Shigley
Lauren Shindler
Zoe Showalter-Flowers
Anika Siethoff
Matthew Silver
Diego Simental
Finley Simon
Gannett Simonton
Nathaniel Sindt
Zachary Sirkus
Mac Skudlarczyk
Marie Slotnick
Ryan Smith
Shaun Smith
Lucy Snow
Sevi Solari
Jade Solomine
Noel Sookswat
Simon Spillane
Samantha Spiwak
Maria Splawska
Sydney Spoor
Jaden Spriggins
Lindsey Stafford
Bella Stamper
Kaeden Stander
Caidin Steele
Cece Steer
Evan Stellino
Cole Stephan
Ariele Stern
Brendan Stewart
Zoe Stillman
Braden Stirrett
Anna Stout
Mary Strasser
Ava Strauss
Xander Sucich
Elizabeth Suffian
Lucy Suja
Clara Sullivan
Olivia Sullivan
Aoife Sullivan
Dennis Swanson
Livi Sweeterman
Maddy Sweig
Sadie Symonds
Ava Tabor
Willow Tachna
Ben Tal
Rueben Tasler
Tyler Tatman
Owen Taylor
Sarah Taylor
Cecelia Tecu
Angela Testani
Kaira Theisen
Tyler Thime
Channing Thomson
Ella Threlkeld
Tyler Tigerino
Kalyn Tippett
Grace Toomey
Zohair Toor
Clio Torrance
Alexa Tovar
Hendley Tracy
Eduardo Trejo Trinidad
Ricky Tuka
Jack Turpin
Caroline Valdes
Kade Van Steenvort
Maya Vanvleet
Kennedie Vargas
Gia Vasilopoulos
Maddie Veasey
Sophie Vertrees
Bianca Villordo Rosado
Saanvi Vookanti
Laurel Vose
Maya Vu
Fiona Wachter
Nick Walker
Chloe Walsh
Dylan Walsh
Halle Walters
Evie Warner
Leighton Warner
Kadyn Warner
Ryder Watkins
Greta Wattson
Ellery Weil
Hannah Weimer
Nicole Weis
Grace Westling
Ryder Weston
Kobie Weterrings
Annabelle Whitaker
Ella Whittall
Ella Wilkins
Samantha Wilkins
Triny Willerton
Charlotte Willey
Jackson Williams
Abigail Williams
Molly Williamson
Ranney Willis
Piper Wills
Holly Wininger
Emma Winkelbauer
Kaitlyn Winkelmann
Mia Winstead
Chloe Wolfram
Eva Woodruff-Stern
Grace Wymore
Jackie Wynne
Maggie Yalmokas
Indira Yantorno
Genevieve York
Ryleigh Young
Hannah Young
Lily Young-Stallings
Laurel Yule
Madison Zelibor
Elsie Zerega
Zengyi Zhai
Emily Zhou
Devon Zisser
Tatum Zrubek

More than 700 CMDI students were named to the dean's list for the spring semester.

Off

Traditional

White

Jail blazers: How reporters’ tenacity is changing laws around pregnancy behind bars

Ellie Chase — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:54:05 +0000

Jail blazers: How reporters’ tenacity is changing laws around pregnancy behind bars Ellie Chase Wed, 04/29/2026 - 10:54

Ellie Chase

When Mackenzie Mays stumbled across a lawsuit about a woman forced to give birth in jail, she had no idea the systemic failure and tragedy she was about to uncover.

In a yearlong investigation, Mays, a Bloomberg Law reporter, and NBC News journalist Jon Schuppe uncovered 54 lawsuits from women and their families alleging severe mistreatment or medical neglect in jails.

The response to their story was swift: Officials at the federal and state level—including lawmakers in eight states—have proposed laws or pledged legislation to prevent more cases of neglect and mistreatment.

“This is part of a system that does not work for women who are pregnant in jail, even though there are court rulings and standards of care that should be preventing it from happening,” Schuppe said.

Mackenzie Mays, left, and Jon Schuppe, right. Photos provided by Mays and Schuppe.

Mays and Schuppe’s in-depth research and tenacious investigative reporting was recognized this spring with the Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting, awarded by the journalism department of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information and the Denver Press Club.

Luige del Puerto, editor of the Denver Gazette and this year’s guest judge, said the reporters made clear that no one should give birth in jail, without ignoring the choices that put these women behind bars.

“The women in this story are not portrayed as angels. They had problems—drugs, DUI or, in the case of Chasity Congious, a schizoaffective disorder along with developmental disabilities,” del Puerto said. “Whether she belonged in jail is the wrong question. For their sins, their babies paid the price.”

The babies survived in only 21 of the 54 cases examined by the reporters, and two mothers died. Most of the women had been arrested on low-level, nonviolent charges, and told the reporters their medical concerns were dismissed by correctional workers in emergency healthcare situations.

Reliving ‘the worst days of their lives’

The Nakkula judges were impressed by the reporters’ determination to ensure the women behind every case were able to tell their stories.

“We were asking them to relive the worst day of their lives,” Mays said. “It was very important to us to make sure we told every single woman’s story.”

Building that kind of trust took time: Mays accompanied one woman as she went through her daily routine, attending nail appointments and family meals. Schuppe sent handwritten letters to contact a woman who, in recovered body camera footage, writhed on the floor of a jail cell as her cries for help were ignored.

“I was so impressed with the resilience of women and mothers. The survival instincts of some of these women is incredible,” Mays said. “People chewed through umbilical cords. People found ways to survive and do CPR on their babies that were born into toilets.

“That’s what really stuck with me at the end of it—not only did they try to survive, they believed in that fight enough to sue, and then relive it to share it with us.”

As part of their reporting, Mays and Schuppe created a public database so readers and policymakers could learn more about each woman’s story and identify cases that happened in their own states.

The story was published in late November, but already there are signs of its potential impact. Lawmakers from California to Louisiana are exploring policies designed to protect mothers and infants, such as keeping pregnant women accused of nonviolent offenses out of jail during pretrial proceedings.

In 2023, Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove introduced the Pregnant Women in Custody Act in Congress. Mays and Schuppe said she plans to bring a new version of the bill to the floor following their story; the measure would require federal data collection on pregnancies in jails and teaching corrections staff about the risks faced by pregnant detainees.

“There are very few concrete aspects of impact that you can point to that are more important than having a law changed. It’s very rewarding to have that kind of work being done because of the journalism we do.”
Jon Schuppe, NBC News

Schuppe said the chance to see that impact, after a year spent chasing the story, has been gratifying.

“There are very few concrete aspects of impact that you can point to that are more important than having a law changed,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to have that kind of work being done because of the journalism we do.”

Their passion for change, and tenacious reporting, reflected the legacy of late Rocky Mountain News reporter Al Nakkula, whose legendary police reporting is honored through the award.

“He was a real dogged reporter, and so in the tradition of Al Nakkula, we really try to honor newsrooms or projects that are in his spirit—doing reporting that takes a lot of work,” said contest judge Chuck Plunkett, assistant teaching professor of journalism and director of �鶹��Ѱ��News Corps, the capstone journalism program at CMDI.

“We want to see really great journalism that has the potential to change things. We really value impact.”

That emphasis on impact can also be seen in this year’s runner up, which went to Richard Webster, of Verite News, in collaboration with ProPublica. Webster’s reporting helped nullify a first-degree murder conviction for a man accused of raping, biting and drowning a child; he had been found guilty nearly three decades ago based on expert testimony that was dismissed as junk science.

Each year, Nakkula contest judges look for stories that meet the highest journalistic standards, help readers understand complex issues and solutions, show a commitment to community, and bring about societal change. The award has been presented annually since 1991.

Ellie Chase is studying journalism at CMDI, with a minor in business. She covers students and student news at the college.

Following a yearlong investigation into healthcare for pregnant women in prison, reporting by Mackenzie Mays and Jon Schuppe is drawing attention from lawmakers—and judges for the Al Nakkula Award for Police Reporting.

Off

Traditional

White

2 minutes with: Hayden Chedid

Allyson Maturey — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:37:24 +0000

2 minutes with: Hayden Chedid Allyson Maturey Mon, 04/20/2026 - 14:37

For Hayden Chedid, broadcast journalism introduced new ways of storytelling and collaborating with others. Photo courtesy of Hayden Chedid.

Allyson Maturey

For Hayden Chedid, broadcast journalism introduced new ways of storytelling and collaborating with others. Photo courtesy of Hayden Chedid.

From English major to editor-in-chief, Hayden Chedid (Jour’26) has embraced every opportunity to tell meaningful stories through curiosity, leadership and hands-on experience. She is the William W. White outstanding senior for the journalism department.

Conversation edited for length and clarity.

OK, so let’s hear the origin story—what inspired you to come to CMDI?
Before �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, I was at Arapahoe Community College majoring in English. I was introduced to journalism by a few friends and fell in love with storytelling. When I transferred to CU, it was the broadcast track that really helped me find my direction.

What’s one experience or lesson you’ll carry with you?
Just go for it. Journalism rewards you for putting yourself out there. I’m an introverted person, and this has really built my confidence and brought me out of my shell.

And your “go for it” moment was…?
Oh my gosh, like every day! (Laughs) I’ve done a few investigative stories, and one was really intense. I had to go to the police station, request records and interview officers. I feel like I’m always going to crazy places and meeting interesting people.

Who’s been in your corner throughout your journey?
My professor Paul Daugherty hasn’t been able to escape me these past few years. He’s more than a professor and more like a mentor. I even asked him to oversee my summer internship. He’s taught me almost everything I know about broadcast.

A summer internship? Tell me more.
It was with The Borgen Project. It taught me a lot about advocacy and how meaningful journalism can make an impact. I was writing articles about foreign aid and technological advancements in other countries, which made me more aware of the responsibility that comes with journalism and the impact I can have with my storytelling.

I know you’re the editor-in-chief for Roam Boulder. What’s it like leading a team of writers?
At first, I had a lot of imposter syndrome. Like, how am I editor-in-chief? Over time, I got used to it and I felt like I was able to pass down my wisdom and knowledge from the past four years. It’s really satisfying being able to see my writers improve over the last few months.

Your bylines are so diverse. How do story ideas come up?
You just have to listen and be observant. I have a notes app with a huge list of story ideas that I write down as they come up throughout the day. That’s a really important skill for a journalist.

Real talk—share some advice for students still figuring it all out?
It’s OK to feel unsure about what’s next. I think uncertainty can be a good thing because that means your options are plentiful. When you focus on your authentic self and what you’re genuinely passionate about, everything will fall into place.

Dream job?
I want to apply what I’ve learned in a newsroom as a photographer or producer.

Where it all began. Hayden Chedid, left, poses with her best friend and Chip on her first day at college. Photo courtesy of Hayden Chedid.

Hayden Chedid, second row on the right, was introduced to some of her closest friends while involved with Roam Boulder. Photo courtesy of Hayden Chedid.

Roam Boulder received the 2026 Student Organization Event of the Year for its Earth Day block party. Hayden Chedid, left, poses with the award and a group of Roam students. Photo courtesy of Hayden Chedid.

Allyson Maturey is a communications project manager who covers student and faculty news.

Celebrating the Class of 2026

This year’s outstanding senior for journalism found her path as editor-in-chief of the university’s fashion magazine and on a meaningful internship.

Off

Traditional

White

Beyond the game

Joe Arney — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:03:06 +0000

Beyond the game Joe Arney Tue, 04/07/2026 - 10:03

Lincoln Roch reviews his notes by the Ralphie statue outside Folsom Field. Despite being a rookie on the sports beat, he captured a prestigious Hearst award for a feature story on fan behavior after the Buffs hosted Brigham Young University in the fall. Photo by Hannah Howell.

Iris Serrano

A year and a half ago, Lincoln Roch walked into a Sko Buffs Sports meeting not knowing what a third down was. The story of how he got from there to winning one of the most prestigious awards for collegiate sports writing is a bigger story than any game he has covered.

In the fall, the �鶹��Ѱ�� was fined $50,000 by the Big 12 Conference after hateful and discriminatory language targeting The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was chanted from the stands during a football game against Brigham Young University.

Lincoln Roch, a senior studying journalism at the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information, was sitting in the student section at Folsom Field during the game, and could hear fans shouting derogatory chants. When the fine was announced, he wrote about it before moving on to other news.

It wasn’t until later that week that Jake Shapiro (Jour’18), his sports practicum professor and advisor of Sko Buffs Sports, encouraged the class to dig deeper and find a new angle about the human impact. Roch searched BuffConnect and found Institute, a campus organization affiliated with the church.

The group was meeting that night, so he rushed to his apartment to change out of a football jersey and shorts and headed to Wolf Law, hoping someone would talk. When one of the organization’s leaders asked who had been to the game, Lucy Reese raised her hand, and agreed to speak with Roch afterward.

“That’s where I realized this was way worse than I had thought,” Roch said.

This was the first of many conversations that reframed the story: Less than a week after the fine was announced, Roch published “Slurs and Harassment at BYU Game Alienate Mormon �鶹��Ѱ��Students,” featuring firsthand accounts from sources who felt alienated or threatened by the behavior during the game. The article won first place in the sports writing competition of the 2025-26 Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

He credited Shapiro and Harrison Simeon, president and editor-in-chief of Sko Buffs Sports, for pushing him to find a story with deeper meaning and helping him perfect the piece.

A willingness to learn

“Lincoln joined the club with no sports background whatsoever—he didn’t know what a third down was a year and a half ago,” said Simeon, also a senior in journalism. “But what he did was learn. He's our best journalist, in terms of willingness to learn.”

The article is the most-viewed story on Sko Buffs Sports, with more than 8,000 views. The story was also shared on X by the assistant athletic director at BYU and the governor of Utah.

“I’m incredibly proud of the impact it had. It kind of restored my faith to see a lot of dialog between BYU and �鶹��Ѱ��fans in the comments on social media,” Roch said.

Roch received a $3,000 scholarship for the article and qualifies for the National Writing Championship, in San Francisco, in June, when he has the chance to be one of the top three intercollegiate winners.

For Vicky Sama, associate teaching professor and director of student media at CMDI, this recognition comes as no surprise.

“The Hearst awards are prestigious acknowledgements of student journalism nationwide, so it’s very competitive,” said Sama, whose journalism career included a producer role at CNN and extensive freelance work. “Lincoln shows a lot of promise. He’s going to make the university proud when he graduates.”

Iris Serrano is studying strategic communication and journalism at CMDI. She covers student news and events for the college.

Lincoln Roch took home a first-place award in the Hearst Sports Writing Competition with a powerful story that highlighted the impacts of discriminatory chants at a �鶹��Ѱ��football game.

Off

Traditional

White

2 minutes with: Radio 1190

Jayden Fortner — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:09:34 +0000

2 minutes with: Radio 1190 Jayden Fortner Mon, 04/06/2026 - 11:09

Jayden Fortner

Get to know Radio 1190, the student-operated radio station at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder

KV�鶹��Ѱ��Radio 1190 is the student-operated radio station at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, producing journalism, amplifying community voices and sharing great music. The station has a new home beneath Carlson Gymnasium. We sat down with Iris Berkeley (Jour'01), the general manager, and Ella Krelovich, a student manager in her final year of studying information science, to learn more about the station.

Ella Krelovich operates the radio station's soundboard in preparation for her live show. Both photos by Hannah Howell.

Responses edited for length and clarity.

Favorite part of Radio 1190?

Krelovich: My favorite moments are probably getting into the DJ booth and teaching people when they say they want to know what it's like to run a show.

Wait, you DJ?

Krelovich: Yes, I'm also managing about 95 DJs. We have about 91 shows on the air right now. It's a crazy jigsaw puzzle to get together, but anyone who comes here and wants a show can have an hour slot once a week.

Fascinating. Are you interested in a radio career?

Krelovich: No, but working with people and figuring out the best way for DJs to operate are transferable skills I can take into my future career. I’d like to do something in user experience design.

What does this club mean to its members?

Berkeley: Even after something like 25 years of being on the air, I still really love getting behind the board and the mic and sharing music with our listeners. Watching these students do this every single day with so much creativity and dedication is just magic.

Speaking of magic—you host a prom?

Krelovich: Yes, Radio Prom is my favorite Radio 1190 event of the year! Last year's event was' 80s-themed, and my favorite memory is seeing everyone all dressed up.

Tell me more about the community.

Krelovich: If you're a playlist nerd or if you just need people to hang out with, this is the place for you. Maybe you haven't found your people yet, but they're here. I mean, this is a place for everyone. We have a punk show that's actually done by a professor.

A professor hosts a punk rock show?

Krelovich: We know him as Bodhi around the station, but his real name is Shane Melnitzer. He’s an alumnus who teaches in the philosophy department.

OK, one last question for you both. What word describes Radio 1190?

Berkeley: Our brand is chaos, and we love it.

Krelovich: You'll never hear the same thing twice—you can hear a pop show followed by a death metal show.

Interested in getting involved? Radio 1190s hosts meetings every night of the week at 6 p.m., along with weekly volunteer meetings. You can also stop by during the day; there is always someone hanging out in the station.

Jayden Fortner is pursuing degrees in journalism and strategic communication at CMDI, with a minor in sports media. She covers students and student news at the college.

Students from every major and interest at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder find a welcome home at Radio 1190.

Off

Traditional

White

‘Good evening, I’m an A.I., and this is your nightly news’

Joe Arney — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:40:58 +0000

‘Good evening, I’m an A.I., and this is your nightly news’ Joe Arney Tue, 03/31/2026 - 07:40

Most Americans haven’t yet encountered A.I.-generated news anchors, but the popularity of the technology abroad—and the potential cost savings—mean that’s likely to change, says PhD student Muhammad Ali. Here, he showcases his work at the university’s Three-Minute Thesis competition. Photo by Glenn Asakawa.

Joe Arney

The rigors of pursuing a doctoral degree leave even the most dedicated students occasionally questioning what brought them on this difficult path.

For Muhammad Ali, a PhD student in journalism, motivation is never far from the surface. His father, Malik Sajid Diyal, was killed in 1990 after being the driving force for establishing the first girls’ schools in his conservative Pakistani hometown.

“My father was a government contractor, he was a social worker—but more than that, he was a person who believed education can transform society,” Ali said. It’s a reason he left a career in public relations behind, seeing education as “not just a way to give information, but a powerful tool for resistance, hope and transformation.”

“This degree is not just a piece of paper for me. It is a legacy I have to carry forward, and a change I can make to society.”

As he prepares to graduate this May, Ali’s research work, which explores how news stations are using generative artificial intelligence—especially in on-air broadcasting—is shedding light on an area with enormous implications for how the news is delivered in the future.

‘A completely A.I. newsroom’

His interest was piqued when he was watching Channel 1, out of Los Angeles, and realized something was a little off about the telecast.

“It’s a completely A.I. newsroom, where they are producing, disseminating and gathering news content through A.I.,” Ali said. “You could see it if you looked closely at the anchors’ mouths, and some of their gestures.”

‘A.I. videos are generating views on social media, they’re making money on social media—and the business managers will be paying close attention to that,’ Muhammad Ali says. Photo by Glenn Asakawa.

Muhammad Ali, right, accepts a best paper award at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication’s annual conference. Photo courtesy Muhammad Ali.

It’s the sort of thing Ali had never seen in American journalism before, but A.I. anchors have been in use throughout Asia and the Middle East, including his native Pakistan, for years, and they’re quickly getting better at mimicking human speaking behaviors.

“What’s really unknown, especially in the US, is how audiences will react to these changes, and whether they will accept A.I. news presenters,” he said. “It’s one thing for a movie or cartoon, another when it’s the nightly news.”

Even if you have been following the rise of A.I. journalists and anchors, you may not be aware that stations have required anchors to sign deals giving the company the rights to their faces, to build digital versions that are available day and night, don’t require holidays, health insurance or sick time, and don’t have long commutes.

You probably have an idea of where this is going, but Ali said A.I. will create new kinds of jobs in journalism without replacing editorial judgment or human curiosity. Stations in Pakistan, for instance, have started employing “prompt managers” who use A.I. to create and refine content for the digital anchors to read.

“The influence of technology companies on the news is much more than what we ever expected.”

Muhammad Ali, journalism

Even if job displacement is minimal, there are many ethical considerations to moves like this—and given the speed at which A.I. is rolling out in news and elsewhere, research like Ali’s is critical to slowing down and challenging us to ask the right questions about how this technology could change our relationship with the news.

“If something goes wrong, who will be responsible?” he said. “The organization is requiring the journalist to give his face, but that face doesn’t come with his integrity and objectivity and beliefs. There is real potential for misuse.”

In fact, he’s finding examples of that already, including authoritarian regimes and terrorist groups that are using A.I. anchors to disseminate misinformation and propaganda in ways that look convincing.

A matter of perspective

Ali’s advisor, Patrick Ferrucci, said the work is important because there is little scholarship on this topic in western Europe or the United States, where free presses have historically helped journalists push back against these kinds of innovations. And his background—not only growing up in a place where A.I. anchors are more common, but bringing years of leadership and industry experience in public relations—make his perspectives especially valuable, in class and as a researcher.

Patrick Ferrucci

“Journalism here historically fights new technology well past losing that fight,” said Ferrucci, a professor and chair of the journalism department. “Because of the economics of the news, you can absolutely see A.I. anchors coming to journalism.

“But I see some of the things A.I. can do and I think, ‘That would have helped me when I was a journalist,’” he added. “Understanding how to use these technologies without making yourself irrelevant is something we talk to our students about, and Ali’s research is really important, especially as the topic is so understudied outside of Asia.”

The interdisciplinary nature of a CMDI education—where students are encouraged to explore the intersections of different industries and schools of thought, to better uncover innovation—helped Ali bring a tech-oriented perspective to the craft, and business, of journalism.

“The influence of technology companies on the news is much more than what we ever expected, and means we have to answer for new kinds of biases or hallucinations in the data that aren’t being fact checked,” he said. “And like we’ve heard about in other industries, editorial decisions are being impacted by these technologies, as well.”

He’s already started to make his mark in academic circles, including earning a best student paper award at the conference of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, and the Kappa Tau Alpha Award for top student paper.

Motivated by his father’s memory, Ali is committed to using his PhD—which he expects to complete in May—to teach future generations of students to work with these technologies and become smart consumers of news who are aware of A.I.’s inroads into the nightly news.

Especially because, as he’s found, younger viewers are more accepting of their headlines coming from a machine.

“The younger generation wants to experience new things, see new things, and they’re used to using their technology and social media to do it,” he said. “These A.I. videos are generating views on social media, they’re making money on social media—and the business managers will be paying close attention to that.”

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

More stations are experimenting with A.I. anchors, and a PhD student says the trend has finally reached the United States.

Off

Traditional

White

Documenting deportation as it comes to hospitals

Ellie Chase — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:15:49 +0000

Documenting deportation as it comes to hospitals Ellie Chase Thu, 03/26/2026 - 10:15

According to student journalist Ann Marie Vanderveen, it took time to develop trust with sources, but their hard work paid off. She and her peer Jessi Sachs traveled to Philadelphia, where the duo spent time with Junior Clase and his wife, who was being threatened with a medical deportation. Photo by Jessie Sachs.

Hannah Stewart

Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StComm’18) and Jessi Sachs

Months before Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were going through Minnesota neighborhoods, Jessi Sachs was going through Reddit threads searching for a niche angle to investigate immigration under Donald Trump.

That was when she first learned about medical deportations.

Sometimes called medical repatriation, medical deportation is when hospitals and medical transport companies attempt to—or successfully—return an uninsured, noncitizen patient to their country of origin.

“Not only did we tell a story that was really impactful for Junior, but we spoke truth to power in the niche intersection of healthcare and immigration.”

Ann Marie Vanderveen (Jour'25)

“I found the post and thought how crazy it was,” Sachs, a senior majoring in journalism, said. “I didn't even know that people could be deported out of the hospital without the involvement of ICE in any way.”

Last year, Sachs and Ann Marie Vanderveen (Jour’25) participated in the prestigious Carnegie-Knight News21 Fellowship hosted by Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Their story about medical deportations was picked up by multiple outlets, including The Associated Press.

“It felt really impactful that it was picked up by so many media organizations once it went out on the AP wire,” Sachs said. “I wanted to write about something people weren’t super knowledgeable about and bring awareness to a unique facet of the immigration conversation.”

First launched in 2005, News21 is a two-semester intensive experience where student journalists investigate a topic such as hate groups, juvenile justice, gun rights and, last year, immigration under the Trump administration. In the spring, students attend weekly workshops and classes to develop knowledge around the theme before embarking on a 10-week reporting fellowship based in Phoenix that culminates in a published story.

Jessi Sachs, left, and Ann Marie Vanderveen, right. Photo taken by Kimberly Coffin and provided by Ann Marie.

Vanderveen wanted to be a journalist since she dressed up as a reporter for an elementary school career day, and she quickly found her people by joining the �鶹��Ѱ��Independent in her first year, which is where she met Sachs.

The News21 piece wasn’t the first time the reporting duo worked together—at the CUI, they collaborated with another writer on a story about a sexual assault investigation involving a Ralphie handler. But covering medical deportations was definitely the most challenging piece either had written while still in college.

“It took a long time to find people to talk to us,” Vanderveen said, as they looked for sources on social media and GoFundMe. “Our breakthrough came when we found an activist coalition in Philadelphia, but it took time to build trust with them. Eventually, they connected us with other people.”

Legally, only the federal government can remove an individual from the United States, and Medicare-participating hospitals are required to treat people—including uninsured noncitizens—with emergency conditions. But federal cuts mean there’s less money to reimburse hospitals for costs associated with those treatments—and through their reporting, the pair learned some hospitals have been attempting to repatriate patients without searching for other pathways for medical coverage.

Vanderveen and Sachs spent one week in Philadelphia, eventually building their story around Junior Clase and his wife, who was being threatened with medical deportation. While in the field, they also spoke with attorneys and activists. By the time they returned to Phoenix they had copious notes and interviews, but between the training from News21 mentors and their own experiences reporting in Boulder, they felt prepared to take on such a delicate story.

“To be able to tell someone's story who doesn't normally get to speak in the media is exactly what I want to do with my life,” Vanderveen said.

Within two weeks of publication by News21, it was picked up by The Philadelphia Inquirer, AP and others.

“When we saw our names published in the AP, Jessi and I dropped everything and went to get Champagne, because we were so overjoyed,” Vanderveen said. “It was definitely the hardest summer of my life, but it was also the best. Not only did we tell a story that was really impactful for Junior, but we spoke truth to power in the niche intersection of healthcare and immigration. It also gave me a lot of confidence for the future.”

Jessi Sachs in the field. Photo provided by Sachs.

Professor Patrick Ferrucci, chair of the journalism department, said he was impressed when he read the piece.

“Our students in News21 always do really good work, but this particular year—with the timeliness of the story and the story itself—they did an amazing job,” he said. “When you have students like Jessi and Ann Marie who are super involved in student media—really caring about journalism beyond what they're doing in a classroom—it sets a culture for the department.”

Vanderveen, now a reporter for The Journal, in Cortez, said News21 developed her technical skills, but her experiences with the CUI and networking opportunities with CMDI deepened her love for the craft.

Sachs, who will graduate in May, agreed.

“I felt very prepared going into News21 because of my classes, and especially the CUI,” Sachs said. “I walked away from the experience not only with an impactful story I was proud of, but also as a more mature writer."

“Wherever I end up, I have what it takes to find sources, be creative and get the story done.”

Hannah Stewart graduated from CMDI in 2019 with a degree in communication. She covers student news for the college.

Photographer Kimberly Coffin graduated from CMDI in 2018 with degrees in media production and strategic communication.

Two students collaborated on an investigative journalism project that was ultimately picked up by The Associated Press.

Off

Traditional

Junior Clase spends all his free time caring for his wife, who is being threatened with medical deportation. Student journalists Jessi Sachs and Ann Marie Vanderveen traveled to Philadelphia to hear their story. Photo by Jessi Sachs

White

An education in empathy

Joe Arney — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 07:00:00 +0000

An education in empathy Joe Arney Tue, 03/24/2026 - 01:00

Ross Taylor, left, runs an on-camera interview as part of his latest documentary project, A Refuge of Scouting. The film, which has been screened around the country and will be on PBS in the fall, draws on the strong sense of empathy Taylor, an associate professor of journalism, brings to his work and his classes. Photo by Pat Clark.

Joe Arney

By his own admission, Ross Taylor was not a very successful Boy Scout, having never advanced beyond second class.

“I went on one camping trip, and it rained a lot and I didn’t like that the weather was bad,” said Taylor, now an associate professor of journalism at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s College of Communication, Media, Design and Information. “So, I went home and complained to my parents and asked if I could stop.”

His own time with the Scouts may have been short lived, but he’s returned to the organization—not to tie knots or pitch a tent, but to tell the story of an all-refugee troop in Aurora.

“This film is about reframing how we see American identity through a traditional lens,” Taylor said. “Scouting brings with it a lot of traditional norms and preconceived ideas of identity in America. And this troop works within a lot of that framework, but helps expand our understanding of what it means to be an American.”

A Refuge of Scouting was accepted to, among others, the Maryland International Film Festival, which takes place this month, and, like Taylor’s other documentary work, will be shared via Public Broadcasting Service beginning in the fall.

The film, which Taylor co-directed with fellow CMDI professor Pat Clark, is a continuation of work he did with P.J. Parmar, a medical doctor who owns and operates Mango House, a shared space for refugees in the western United States. The property is run for, and by, refugees, and was the subject of Taylor’s 2021 documentary, Mango House.

“Parmar was a Boy Scout himself, and he often said scouting was a safe space from facing racism, and he wanted that experience for refugees,” Taylor said.

Building trust within refugee communities

“To engage in these spaces requires me to be a better person, a more empathetic person.”

Ross Taylor, assistant professor, journalism

Doing this kind of work, and immersing yourself in a community of refugees—especially children who have fled significant trauma—requires a special kind of personality. It’s an approach to work—and life—that Taylor brings to his projects and his classes from his nearly 20-year career as a photojournalist.

“Building trust within the populations I work with requires a high level of empathy—I’m working in spheres that involve traumatic events, or the aftereffects of trauma,” Taylor said. “To engage in these spaces requires me to be a better person, a more empathetic person.”

It’s a lesson he learned the hard way. As a photographer, Taylor was once scolded by a mother for taking a photo of a crying boy after striking out during a youth baseball game. He credits that experience with teaching him to bring a more empathetic perspective to what he’s capturing.

And in class, that means showing students they can be empathetic, but also confident in using their voices to tell important stories. It shows up even in the simplest acts, like opening classes by asking students to share something good in their lives.

“It really warms up a classroom environment, and it sets an example of how I conduct myself in the work that I do,” Taylor said. “I want them to see empathy in action and think about what it means for them when they become professionals and leaders.”

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz, right, recognized Ross Taylor with an End Zone Innovators Award at a Buffs home game in the fall. Photo by Vivenne Malone.

Ross Taylor credits his sense of empathy with helping him build trust among the people whose stories he tells in his work, including his most recent documentary about a Boy Scout troop made up of refugees.

In A Refuge of Scouting, Taylor shows how the values of scouting look through the eyes of young refugees from around the world. Early work on the film began before Donald Trump returned to the White House, but it’s hard not to see this project as a rebuke of the othering that the federal government has engaged in, from Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, to sealed borders, to deportations and mass incarceration.

“We are all much more alike than we are different,” Taylor said. “When you spend time with a young kid who’s a refugee from another country, you begin to quickly realize, they’re a kid just like any other kid you would know.

“Working within the refugee community has given me a lot more respect, care and admiration for the people I’ve met and the contributions they make to our culture. My hope for this film is to help more people have the same experience I’ve had, so that we have more compassion for each other.”

Clark, an award-winning filmmaker and assistant professor of critical media practices, joined the college at the same time as Taylor, and they’ve taught and collaborated before—but said seeing up close the sense of empathy and connection his colleague brings to his projects was inspiring.

A model for authenticity

“Ross, the journalist, is able to unpack all these threads and find the people who help tell the story,” Clark said. “But it’s his personality that makes him so good at what he does. I talk about it in my classes a lot—the more you spend time with the folks you’re working with on the film, the more authentic they will be on camera. And that’s who Ross is. He gets people comfortable, he brings them in close and he makes everybody feel good about him being there. That’s how you really tell the story.”

For his part, Taylor said he appreciated Clark’s immense technical knowledge. It’s part of what makes CMDI special—the encouragement of authentic collaboration between separate, but related, disciplines to create meaningful impact.

“We are stronger as a unit than as individuals, because some projects require a substantial amount of expertise that crosses departments,” Taylor said. “This is definitely an example of that.”

Taylor is already thinking about his next documentary project, though his immediate plans are more centered on photography projects. He remains in awe of the medium’s power to make the world a better place; A Refuge of Scouting is his third documentary.

“Documentary—and, by extension, journalism—is a wonderful way to see a shared experience,” he said. “And it can help break down the preconceived notions we have about each other, and help us care for one another as we navigate the very real and challenging daily life we all experience.”

Ross Taylor and Pat Clark are no stranger to classroom collaboration, but A Refuge of Scouting is their first documentary together. Here, Taylor, left, and Clark are kneeling in the front row, off to the right, with the scouts in a theater.

Joe Arney covers research and general news for the college.

A hard lesson from his days as a journalist has helped a CMDI professor tell moving stories through documentary.

Off

Traditional

White

Journalism

‘The gold standard of fellowships’: Scripps journalists eager to create impact

Off

For reporters, the water beat is on fire

Extreme fire danger

Demystifying drought

Off

Announcing the spring 2026 dean's list

Off

Jail blazers: How reporters’ tenacity is changing laws around pregnancy behind bars

Reliving ‘the worst days of their lives’

Off

2 minutes with: Hayden Chedid

Off

Beyond the game

A willingness to learn

Off

2 minutes with: Radio 1190

Get to know Radio 1190, the student-operated radio station at �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder

Off

‘Good evening, I’m an A.I., and this is your nightly news’

‘A completely A.I. newsroom’

A matter of perspective

Off

Documenting deportation as it comes to hospitals

Off

An education in empathy

Building trust within refugee communities

A model for authenticity

Off

Get to know Radio 1190, the student-operated radio station at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder