Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Our faculty are ...

The best (in our humble opinion)! 🔥

Let's give a round of applause to two members who have inspired so many students in the community, and celebrate their amazing news: and were named Tow Professors for the 2024-26 academic years.

The Tow Professorship, established by the Tow Foundation in 2014, supports the research projects of Newmark faculty who have shown a strong commitment to innovation, teaching, and leadership. 

Here's a glimpse into their journalistic scholarship. 🔎

Botelho, an Emmy Award-winning television news executive producer with three decades of experience in broadcast journalism, is completing a Master’s degree in Biography and Memoir at the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. Her research interests — which have led her to 's Centre for Life Writing as a visiting scholar — focus on Anglo-Indian identity and diaspora, exploring how this group navigates their cultural and social positions both in post-colonial India and beyond. A recipient of a Leon Levy Center for Biography scholarship, she is writing a historical memoir centered on her family’s migration from Calcutta, India, to New York City in the late 1970s.

Thuy Vo’s work focuses on coupling data analysis with on-the-record reporting to understand how systematic issues affect individuals. She’s presently an investigative reporter with the independent outlet Documented . Her current research, which started as a project for .markup, explores misinformation and deepfakes within immigrant communities, with a focus on Vietnamese people in the U.S. Earlier this summer, Thuy Vo won the inaugural 2024 AAJA-Medill Innovator Award for the project, titled “Languages of Misinformation.” Her work also includes educational workshops on misinformation and AI, and highlights critical issues faced by AAPI communities.

Read the full announcement on the Newmark website.

Newsroom scenes we love to see: collaboration, the exchange of ideas, teaching in action ... a community coming together. 🧡

What's your favorite newsroom scene so far?

Ours might just be the last in this carousel -- representing the Class of 2024 with a timeless over-the-shoulder look. Time to show the new class the ropes, 24s!

This newsroom is teeming with excitement and . 🧡

Happy Orientation, Class of 2025! Don't forget to share your favorite moments with us!

Join us in welcoming Carla Zanoni as the new director of the M.A. in Engagement Journalism program at Newmark J-School.

Carla is bringing 20 years of experience in audience development, product, and news entrepreneurship to Newmark. In the early aughts, she helped launch the newspaper that became — the first of its kind devoted to covering New York politics and policy at the city and state level. Her career is rooted in entrepreneurial local journalism.

A poet and writer, Carla is committed to attracting and growing a new group of innovators to the field through new outreach methods and recruitment. “I believe there is a world of qualified would-be journalists waiting for us to invite them in as collaborators and new leaders,” she said.

Let's hear it for Carla! Congratulations on your appointment.

Announcing the Guardian US Scott Trust Fellowship — a new partnership between and Newmark J-School.

This paid, nine-month opportunity will empower early-career journalists from Newmark to create impactful journalism alongside Guardian's pros. See our announcement in full.

🔗 in bio.

It's all in the pitch.

Earlier today, alumni and students heard from industry experts -- including Judith Helfand, Opal Hope Bennett, and Newmark Professor Yourba Richen -- and doc festival programmers about the ins and outs of pitching their films.

We heard some great pitches from our alums and priceless feedback from the pros -- from advice on budgeting, finding resilience in rejection, and mastering proposals to decision makers/financiers.

Thank you to our organizers -- Judith and Yoruba -- for putting together an amazing event.

We're proud to announce the Ronan Farrow Investigative Research Fellowship. 🔥

Newmark J-School alumni, here's your chance to further hone and build new research skills ... and work directly with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter, .

Read the announcement in full. 🔗 in bio.

Today marks the 100th anniversary of the Johnson-Reed Act. To commemorate the centennial, Newmark J-School's Center for Community Media released a groundbreaking report on how AAPI communities, despite challenges, built a vibrant news ecosystem in the U.S. Findings from the report uncover how AAPI communities -- from San Francisco’s Chinatown to NYC's Little Syria -- built, lost, and revived their media sectors, now boasting over 650 outlets in 54 languages.

Read the report and join us for a virtual discussion on May 29 to reflect on the role of AAPI media in keeping communities informed and safe amid new threats. See the 🔗 in bio.

Congrats to the CCM team and Kavitha Rajagopalan who authored the report.

“Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been a part of the American story from the very beginning, documenting it through community media for 200 years,” said Asian Media Initiative director Kavitha Rajagopalan. “With this wide-angle view of the entire AAPI news media ecosystem through its long history, and in all its forms, we hope to build awareness of this powerful, often overlooked, mechanism for engaging AAPI voters and supporting AAPI communities.”

We heard some great speeches at tonight's 2024 Alumni Awards for Excellence at the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice.

Dashiel Allen, winner of the Sidney Hillman Award for Social Justice Reporting, told us about the importance of "shoeleather journalism" and spending time with sources to gain trust.

Safiyah Riddle, recipient of the Weigold Prize for Business Journalism, recounted lessons learned from Greg David's business reporting classes, emphasizing the value of consistency -- showing up to do the work.

Naoufal Enhari, our Newsweek Alumni Prize awardee, said he will take all that he learned at Newmark and apply it on the other side of the Atlantic.

Karen Shakerdge, winner of the Stephen B. Shepard Prize for Investigative Reporting, shared influential words that Marshall Allen, a former J-School instructor who passed on May 19, imparted to his students: "Great investigative reporting is not magic ... it happens on purpose."

And Cynthia DuBose, recipient of our inaugural Executive Leadership Award, talked about harnessing the power of her J+ education to move the industry forward.

Our alumni shared some true gems of wisdom, memories, lessons, and experiences. Thank you 2024 alumni award winners for an inspiring evening.

Go celebrate and continue the work of being a force for good in the world. 🔥

Meet our new Entrepreneur-in-Residence: Darryl Holliday 🔥

He's joining the NewmarkJ team in Fall 2024. Holliday is a seasoned journalist, coalition builder, and civic strategist who has spent over a decade building a blueprint for journalism at the intersection of community organizing, participatory media and civic technology.

Read more about his appointment and area of focus. 🔗 in bio.

Welcome to the Newmark J-School, Darryl!

Newmark J-School alumni are among the 2024 Pulitzer Prize () winners. Congratulations to Angela Hill '07 and Rachael Levy '14.

At the , Hill contributed to "American Icon," a series that examines the AR-15's cultural and political impact.

And along with Reuters colleague Marisa Taylor, Levy was recognized for a report that looks at Elon Musk's Neuralink business, which aims to install brain chips in humans.

We are so proud of you Angela and Rachael! Your outstanding work is the result of countless hours of deep reporting. Outstanding!

And this year's alumni award winners are ... 🥁

Karen Shakerdge ‘15 will be recognized with the Stephen B. Shepard Prize for Investigative Reporting. (📸 top-left)

Naoufal Enhari ‘23 is the winner of the Newsweek Alumni Prize. ( 📸 bottom-left)

Safiyah Riddle ‘23 will be honored with the Frederic Wiegold Prize for Business Journalism. (📸 top-right)

Dashiell Allen ‘23 is the recipient of the Sidney Hillman Award for Social Justice Reporting. (📸 center-right)

And we are thrilled to present the inaugural Executive Leadership Alumni Award to Cynthia DuBose ‘21, McClatchy’s Senior Vice President for Products and Experience. DuBose is a member of the school's J+ alumni network. (📸 bottom right)

Congratulations to the winners!

This day is all about connection. Admitted Students, you've met our hometown heroes -- faculty, alumni, and staff alike -- and got a snapshot of what it's like to be a part of this unique community.

We can't wait for you to join the Class of 2025 -- a new generation of pioneers to push the industry forward.

Welcome to Newmark J-School, admitted students!

ICYMI: The new Global Race and Justice Team at includes our very own Bianca Flowers ‘14.

She is the news agency’s first U.S. Race and Justice Correspondent, covering one of the most urgent beats of our time.

Congrats Bianca! 🧡

This year, some 36 million Latinos are eligible to vote. What does that mean in a major presidential election?

Join us on April 16 to decode this year's Latino voting trends. Panelists include: Arantxa Loizaga from , Democratic strategist Chuck Rocha, and Republican consultant Mike Madrid. Dean .ba will offer opening remarks. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP to secure your spot -- 🔗 in bio.

So many events featuring our own -- Mikhail Zygar, Joel Simon, Masha Gessen, Kalli Anderson, and Vanessa Botelho -- in conversation with industry experts: Simon Shuster, Jess Shane, Mitra Kaboli, and Nate Burleson. And that's not all! ICYMI: This week, Dean Graciela Mochkofsky published an op-ed in The New York Times about Newmark J-School's goal to become tuition free.

Exciting times at the J-School .. and more to come. ✨

A+ for bringing good energy to the classroom. ✨
A+ for becoming a video pro. 🎥
A+ for sticker choice. 🧡

More wins under the belt. 🔥

ICYMI: The 2023 George Polk Awards in Journalism features one of our alumna — and one of our faculty.

Rachael Levy '14 was on the Reuters team that won this year's Business Reporting award for covering the various companies of tech billionaire Elon Musk. SpaceX workers were seeing injuries. Neuralink was treating lab animals poorly. Tesla failed to protect customer privacy.

Distinguished Professor Masha Gessen won the award in Commentary for their The New Yorker essay titled "In the Shadow of the Holocaust." The essay is profoundly personal and highly relevant, providing a critique of Israel's war on Gaza and the way critics (even those who are Jewish) are labeled "antisemitic."

Congratulations to Gessen, Levy, and the other winners of this year's Polk Awards.

Carousel: Polk Awards Logo; Rachael Levy; and Masha Gessen.

We love ...

🎓 catching up with graduates.
📸 our new gallery, featuring photographs by alumni.
👥 the support of our outstanding staff and faculty.
✨ that the future is bright: one day Newmark J-School will become fully tuition free.

Happy Valentine's Day to all at . 🧡

Let's hear it for alum Max Maldonado. 👏

Earlier today, Newmark J-School and announced he's been selected as FRONTLINE's 2024 Tow Journalism Fellow. The year-long position is funded by The Tow Foundation.

During his fellowship, Max will work alongside FRONTLINE’s filmmaking teams to support the creation of the series’ acclaimed documentaries. 

Read the the announcement in full: 🔗 in bio.

Congratulations, Max!

Imagine a world where aspiring journalists don't have to worry about incurring debt from student loans -- but instead, focus on what has called them to do work in service of the public.

At the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at the City University of New York, we’re making a tuition-free education a reality for our students.

In the approach to our 20th anniversary, the Newmark J-School is launching a campaign to increase philanthropic support to cover the cost of tuition for all of its students in perpetuity.

A new and transformative $10 million gift from Craig Newmark Philanthropies will empower Newmark J-School to advance the future of journalism education.

“If we believe journalism is public service, a service that is essential to our democracy, then we need to eliminate the barriers that stand between the people who want to go into journalism and a successful career in news media,” said Graciela Mochkofsky, Dean of the Newmark J-School. “The first barrier is lack of access to an excellent journalism education, and the Newmark J-School is determined to lead the way in removing it. Our beleaguered industry and profession demand it.”

A new chapter in Newmark J-School’s story is about to begin. 🔗 in bio.

What makes the community ... or, more accurately, who?

This post is about celebrating our people — a community that's fueled by a relentless spirit to be a force for good in the world. It’s been a special year filled with inspiring individuals and exciting moments.

Cheers to all who make Newmark J-School one of the best graduate schools of journalism in the nation.

Before we say goodbye to 2023, we’ve got one more giveaway for our current students and alumni. Here’s how to enter:

1. Follow
2. Like this post!
3. We want to hear your stories about finding or creating community at Newmark J-School. Share an experience you’ve had that made you smile, laugh, or left you feeling inspired.
4. Tag your friends in the comments for extra entries! 
5. To enter, you must be a current student of the Class of 2024 or alumni member. Two winners will be announced in January!

The energy of this class is something special. Thanks for sharing these photos with us and ! ✨

Class of 2024, what were some of your favorite moments on campus and in the field? Let us know in the comments.

And stay tuned for our end of year giveaway, coming soon! Current students from the Class of 2024 will have the chance to enter a drawing for Newmark J-School merch. 😎

A week ago today, from the Class of 2023 could not attend Newmark J-School's commencement ceremony at the Times Center. She was missed by many of her classmates! Class of 2023, let's give a special shoutout to one of your own. Join us in welcoming Shukria to the alumni club. Congrats! 🎉

Something changes when commencement rolls in during this time of year. 

It's a time to take stock of all your wins and challenges -- from the first day to your last as a graduate student at the Newmark J-School. The gift of graduation day is one of reflection. 

Today's about pausing for a breath before meeting Dean .ba on stage. Before you do so, take a moment to look into the crowd -- gaze at familiar faces, and with fresh eyes, look for the ones who will matter the most after this special day: the people whose lives you will change with your reporting. 

Here's to what's next, graduates. Be a force for good.

Some of our favorite J-School moments: seeing students come together for a group photo at the end of the semester.

Bittersweet. 🥺🧡

Looking back, what have been some of your favorite moments from the Fall, students?