The Overseas Press Club of Puerto Rico recognized Víctor Luis Rodríguez, a higher-ed reporter at Open Campus partner Centro de Periodismo Investigativo (CPI), with two awards for excellence in reporting.
Rodríguez’s coverage was honored at last week’s OPC-PR Gala in two categories: Best In-Depth Interview, for his conversation with University of Puerto Rico President Zayira Jordán-Conde; and Best Breaking News Story, for his reporting on federal cuts to Hispanic-Serving Institutions and minority-focused programs affecting universities on the island.
Within days of Jordán-Conde taking office, Rodríguez secured a sit-down interview with the new University of Puerto Rico president. He asked tough questions about the university’s financial situation and its approach to the Trump administration. She also made clear that she had been following his coverage, sharing a folder containing printed, highlighted copies of all his stories about the university.
In 2025, the Trump administration announced it would cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. In Puerto Rico, 97% of college students attend an institution that qualifies for that designation, and Rodríguez’s reporting revealed that several institutions faced cuts of more than $20 million. The story was featured on multiple radio programs, helping Puerto Ricans understand how federal policy changes directly threaten their universities.
Víctor Rodríguez is a member of Open Campus’s Local Network, a group of newsrooms where Open Campus has helped place reporters on the higher-ed beat. Reporters in the Open Campus Local Network are employed by their local newsrooms and supported by our team of subject-matter expert editors, who provide story coaching, editing, and coverage planning.
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