Twelve CJS Alumni Named Finalists for the Institute for Nonprofit News Awards

The Institute for Nonprofit News announced that twelve graduates of Columbia Journalism School (CJS) are finalists for the INNY Awards. This annual prize celebrates the broad spectrum of nonprofit news organizations, from small startups to well-established outlets, and honors “excellence in journalism, leadership and community service.”

They were selected from a pool of 626 entries — nearly double the nominations for last year’s INNY Awards. This growth is a testament to a growing, vibrant nonprofit news sector that CJS prepares its students to join. 

According to one INNY judge, this year’s recipients are “such a fine example of why we need high-quality nonprofit journalism.”

Two of the finalists are also awardees of the inaugural Columbia Journalism Loan Repayment Assistance Program. This first cohort received $300,000 in educational debt relief, directly supporting their pursuit of careers in these nonprofit organizations.

Learn more about the finalists and their work. 

Insight Award for Visual Journalism, Medium Division

• Katy Golvala, '21 M.A. Business and Economics, How the battle for absentee ballots defined the Bridgeport election for The Connecticut Mirror. 

Best Investigative Journalism Award, Large Division

• Jason Dearen, '02 M.S., Hidden Confessions of the Mormon Church for Reveal and the Associated Press.
• Alysia Santo, '11 M.S., Ilica Mahajan, '21 M.S., and Adjunct Assistant Professor Tom Meagher, '04 M.S., for The Marshall Project and The New York Times, How New York’s Abusive Guards Keep Their Jobs. 
• Champe Barton, ‘21 M.S., Shot by a Civilian Wielding a Police Gun for The Trace. 

Community Champion Award, Micro Division

• Ani Freedman, ‘23 M.S., Ani Freedman Champions Merrimack, for InDepthNH.org and published by NH Center for Public Interest Journalism. 

Community Champion Award, Large Division

• Ben Angarone, '22 M.A. Politics, Alex Eichenstein, '23 M.S., Thomas Heaton, '21 M.A. and Li Center for Global Journalism Fellow, Jake Indursky, '23 M.S., and Allan Kew, '23 M.S., The Maui Wildfires for the Honolulu Civil Beat. 

The winners will be named on September 18, 2024 at the INNYs ceremony in Atlanta, GA. These alumni represent a cornerstone of the legacy of Columbia Journalism School, and its continued dedication to train journalists for roles in these important organizations.

Read more about the Local and Nonprofit News Initiative, a pillar of CJS2030.