Emily Lytle will join Open Campus on April 15 as a rural engagement reporter. Her work will focus on the role of education and training in rural economies.
Lytle will be the face behind Open Campus’ Mile Markers newsletter, which explores the role of college in rural America. Her work will exist as more than just written articles; to better meet the news and information needs of rural America, she will also produce other forms of independent information to help people understand and shape the policies and institutions that matter most to their careers and futures. That could include services and products like guides, videos, and events.
“Ever since I started journalism school in Washington, D.C., I wanted to tell stories about communities like the small town where I grew up. I loved reporting on people and places that challenged readers’ first impressions and assumptions,” Lytle said. “I’m excited to meet people who represent the wide range of stories that exist in rural communities, and I can’t wait to explore new ways to engage with folks about stories related to higher education and job training in places that often get overlooked.”
After working as a community reporter in Delaware, covering stories that ranged from farmland preservation efforts to beach tourism trends, Lytle most recently collaborated with news organizations around the globe as part of The Reynolds Journalism Institute’s innovation team. In this role, she produced the monthly Innovation in Focus newsletter and tested new tools, technology and strategies alongside community-centered newsrooms. She has received regional awards for her reporting on land use and health care access, and she earned a B.A. in Journalism at American University and a Nonprofit Management Graduate Certificate from the University of Missouri.
A native of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Lytle also co-leads the community journalism track for Radically Rural, which offers a platform and opportunities for rural leaders across the country to learn from each other.
About Open Campus
Open Campus is a nonprofit news organization that ensures communities have the independent information they need about higher ed. By placing expert reporters in local newsrooms across the country, we help people understand and influence the institutions that shape their futures.
Founded in 2019, we now work with 17 newsroom partners. We’re supported by funders spanning journalism and higher education, including Arnold Ventures, the Lumina Foundation, and the American Journalism Project.