Member Spotlight: Jenny Brundin on 15 Years of Covering Education
Photo credit: Photos courtesy of Jenny Brundin
After three decades in public radio — including 16 years at KUER covering a number of beats, including education, and 15 years as Colorado Public Radio’s education reporter — Jennifer (Jenny) Brundin retired.
A talented and engaging reporter, she won several awards in the Education Writers Association’s National Awards for Education Reporting, The Associated Press Television and Radio Awards, from Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and more.
EWA spoke to Brundin about her career and asked her what drew her to and what kept her excited about education reporting. Here’s what she said:
“What kept me on the education beat for 15 years was realizing that schools are not just policy arenas; they are complex microcosms of society. They contain the full spectrum of the human experience—joy, heartache, innovation, hope, challenge and exhaustion. My goal was always to try to capture those qualities, ensuring my reporting resonated even with audience members who did not have children in the system.
My early career in public radio, covering everything from legislatures to chemical weapons disposal, taught me to be creative and experimental. I brought that same spirit to education, consciously balancing meat-and-potatoes policy coverage with stories of whimsy, delight, and the authentic, often hilarious, lives of students. I believe focusing solely on accountability journalism is an easy path. The real challenge and reward lie in humanizing and telling stories from inside and outside the classroom.”
Brundin also shared how she maintained a sense of curiosity throughout her 15-year tenure at Colorado Public Radio.
“I committed to producing at least one deep-dive series annually, attempting to balance that ambition with daily and weekly deadlines. “Teens Under Stress” was particularly rewarding. By 2013, I saw how forces like social media were reshaping the classroom. That awareness led to a 2019 series, when my colleagues and I interviewed 100 teens about how climate change, academic and parental pressure, and other stressors were converging into a youth mental health crisis.”
Brundin spoke about burnout in journalism and gave tips for protecting one’s long-term capacity.
“The sheer volume of this beat is daunting, especially in public radio, where you are balancing and must produce distinct radio, digital, and visual stories. Over time, I learned that “feeding the beast” can lead to burnout (which got me in the end!).
My best advice for longevity is to set boundaries. Use resources like EWA to navigate the complexities, study the stellar work of peers for inspiration, but always prioritize your specific audience. Do the work you can manage well, find the stories that truly matter, and protect your sanity along the way.”
