2025 at Columbia Journalism School: Year in Review

In 2025, Columbia Journalism School built on its mission to prepare journalists for a rapidly changing world, combining rigorous reporting with innovation, ethics and inclusion. Faculty, students and alumni brought critical stories to light, covering the presidential inauguration, the New York City mayoral race, the climate crisis and pressing ethical challenges. 

Across the school, AI and other emerging tools were covered in reporting and research, showing how innovation can strengthen investigative journalism and safeguard press freedom from the local newsroom to the global stage. 

The J-School also made historic investments in the next generation of journalists, investing nearly $10 million in scholarships and expanding the Loan Repayment Assistance Program to ensure more diverse voices have the opportunity to lead the field.

Take a look back on a few highlights below: 

Further Opening the Doors to the J-School: 

In December 2025, Columbia Journalism School expanded the CJS2030 Access Initiative with nearly $10 million in scholarships to help more students pursue a graduate journalism education. In November, the School also broadened its Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) to support graduates of both CJS and Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, and Integrated Marketing Communications.

The First Amendment Lives Here: 

Throughout the year, faculty, students and the School’s centers addressed threats to press freedom and academic independence through reporting, teaching and public dialogue. The year also saw the launch of CollegeWatch, a weekly newsletter covering key issues in higher education through journalism.

Alumni Weekend 2025: 

Decades of Alumni return for CJS Alumni Weekend: Alumni across generations returned to share stories, mentorship and a love of journalism at Alumni Weekend in April. Interested in returning to Pulitzer Hall in 2026? Register for next year's Alumni Weekend here.

AI and Journalism: 

In December, experts gathered for the Hearst AI & Journalism Summit, joining Mark Hansen, David and Helen Gurley Brown Professor of Journalism and Innovation and Director of the David and Helen Gurley Brown Institute for Media Innovation; Gina Chua, ‘88 M.S.; and other CJS community members to examine how artificial intelligence is shaping the newsroom,  reflecting ongoing efforts in the CJS2030 AI Initiative to integrate AI into storytelling and research. 

Welcoming the Class of 2026: 

In August, the J-School welcomed over 200 members of the Class of 2026 with the annual all-class photo on the steps of Low Library. Learn more about the class here. 

Career Connections at CJS: 

The Office of Career Development connected students with newsrooms around the world through 100+ yearlong events and programs. 

Local News in Action: 

From the White House to Gracie Mansion, CJS reporters covered every beat—culminating in live coverage of the 2025 NYC mayoral election guided by Juan Manuel Benítez, Philip S. Balboni Professor of Professional Practice of Local Journalism, and Jim Bittel, Assistant Dean of Broadcast and Multimedia Technology, Adjunct Professor and Multimedia Facility Consultant.

Class of 2025 Graduates:

In May, CJS celebrated a new cohort of 200+ alumni ready to advance press freedom and journalistic integrity. As of Dec. 1, 2025, about 80% of the Class of 2025 had post-graduate plans. See where they landed.

The Fight for Global Press Freedom: 

Journalists, scholars and policy experts gathered in the Lecture Hall for an April event co-hosted by The New York Times and Columbia Journalism School to confront challenges to press freedom worldwide titled “The Fight for Global Press Freedom.”

Climate Coverage: 

The CJS community contributed to the CJS2030 Climate Initiative this year, building on ongoing efforts to integrate climate reporting across coursework, research and public programming. In line with these efforts, in October, Dean Jelani Cobb led “Truth, Trust, and the Climate Beat,” a virtual conversation with the Columbia Climate School exploring how journalists and researchers can communicate the science of climate change with clarity and depth.

In 2025, Columbia Journalism School faculty shared a range of thought‑provoking work. Dean Jelani Cobb’s latest book, Three or More Is a Riot: Notes on How We Got Here, 2012–2025, offers a searing portrait of America’s turbulent decade. Professor Marguerite Holloway ’88 M.S., published Take to the Trees: A Story of Hope, Science, and Self‑Discovery in America’s Imperiled Forests, blending memoir and environmental reporting to explore climate change and human connection. Professor David Hajdu’s The Uncanny Muse: Music, Art, and Machines from Automata to AI provides a look into creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, Professor Robe Imbriano’s documentary short Criminal uses music and animation to illustrate injustices at Houston’s Harris County Jail and the broader cash‑bail system. 

Explore the full range of faculty publications here.

Columbia Journalism Review Looks Ahead

In October, Columbia Journalism Review named Betsy Morais its editor in chief, reaffirming its commitment to CJR’s mission as a leading voice in press criticism. Two months later, CJR released a special issue titled “Journalism 2050,” envisioning what journalism could look like over the next quarter century. The issue features reported stories, columns, interviews and an accompanying podcast series exploring the questions, challenges and possibilities facing the field.