2021 News (Midsize Newsroom) Winner

About the Winner

The Chronicle’s Jack Stripling offered four indispensable articles on the controversial tenure case of Nikole Hannah-Jones, breaking news, providing enlightening context, and framing it all in gripping prose. His coverage was required reading for anyone who wanted to understand the dispute — and the larger political dynamics that still animate higher education.

Comments from the Judges:

“Deep reporting and compelling writing on a major issue in higher education. It clearly lays out a wide range of issues including academic freedom, autonomy for universities, the role of money, politics and race in the academy. It reads like a novel and it is all true. The story was difficult to dig out because there was reluctance to talk on all sides. The reporter had to either find alternate routes to the story or work until he earned the trust to gain openings to key sources.”

“The reporter combined exhaustive reporting, a great writing flair and exclusive interview with the subject. Phenomenal work.”

Photo credits: Karsten Moran, Redux; Rachel Jessen for The Chronicle