2019 Features (Medium Staff) Finalist: Eric Hoover

“The Distance Between”

About the Entry

How does the place you come from shape your education destiny? If you’re a college applicant who’s far removed from the place where you hope to attend college, how do you find your way there? Eric Hoover explored those questions in two in-depth features that illuminated the challenges of young people who are often overlooked: students from rural parts of the U.S. and low-income applicants from overseas.

Comments from the Judges

“Fantastic presentation and visuals, writing, storytelling. Both stories were captivating throughout and the characters were three dimensional and the emotions palpable. This is feature writing at its best.”

“This package displays truly moving writing and excellent reporting. I found myself tearing up while reading about Jade Knight’s journey to the college fair in Flagstaff and ultimately the University of New Mexico.”