Open Campus local network reporter Jason Gonzales earned several awards for his higher education reporting from the Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Gonzales reports in partnership with Chalkbeat Colorado and Open Campus. He was recognized for coverage in the public service, education news, and newsletters categories.
His awards include:
- Second Place for Public Service Journalism for his coverage tracking the impact of the Trump administration on Colorado’s colleges and universities
- Third Place for Education News for his story on the effect how NIH funding cuts could impact the state’s research and economy
- Third Place for Newsletters for his newsletter Beyond High School
Top of the Rockies is a regional journalism contest presented by the Colorado Professional Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, honoring news outlets and reporters from Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico. This year was a record high for submissions, with nearly 2,100 entries from 100 news outlets as well as freelance work.
“These awards validate the importance of higher education coverage in Colorado, as well as in other states,” Gonzales said.
Gonzales is a member of Open Campus’s Local Network, a group of newsrooms where Open Campus has helped put reporters full-time on the higher-ed beat. Reporters in the Local Network are employed at their local newsroom and supported by our team of subject-matter expert editors who provide essential story coaching, editing, and coverage planning.
“Open Campus played a vital role in supporting me in writing this package of stories,” Gonzales said. “Editors shared the issues I should watch out for in my state, connected me to sources, and provided valuable feedback.”
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 future opportunities.