Statehouse Champions Project
The Statehouse Faculty Champion awards go to academics who are leading student reporting programs that focus on state governance, legislation and politics. They are sponsored by the
Center for Community News at the University of Vermont. “As statehouse beats become increasingly rare, partnerships with college reporting programs can be a news lifeline for underserved regions,” said Director Richard Watts. “The dedicated faculty who are running these programs are creating a sustainable pipeline of critical information in their communities. We are thrilled to amplify their work and inspire
others to jump in.”
Coverage of the nation’s statehouses has never been more important as consequential debates over education, public health, housing, gun ownership and more happen at the state level. Despite increasing need, the number of full-time statehouse reporters has declined by 34% since 2014 according to Pew Research Center. In that time, university-led reporting has stepped in to fill the gap. Today, some of the most rigorous reporting on urgent issues is being done by student reporters in states across the country. CCN released an impact report on these programs earlier this year.
For more information about the project please reach out to Gwyneth Donald at gwynethd@unm.edu.