Columbia Journalism School Celebrates the Class of 2026 During Journalism Day

Columbia Journalism School celebrated the Class of 2026 during its annual Journalism Day ceremony, recognizing outstanding student achievements and honoring excellence in reporting, writing, editing, computational journalism, broadcast journalism and public service journalism ahead of graduation.

During the celebration, Hannah Natanson, a narrative enterprise reporter at The Washington Post, delivered the 2026 Henry F. Pringle Lecture to the graduating class, offering encouragement and reflecting on the responsibility, urgency and joy of pursuing journalism at a pivotal moment for the profession.

“Journalism is not only the foundation of our democracy. It’s the most fulfilling work you’ll ever do,” said Natanson. “And the most fun you will ever have.”

Natanson was recognized for her deeply reported coverage of the Trump administration’s reshaping of the federal government, investigative reporting that has revealed how power operates inside government institutions and coverage that has held public officials and agencies accountable during moments of national and global consequence.

Read on for the full list of honorees: 

Pulitzer Traveling Fellowships

To honor Joseph Pulitzer’s legacy, top Journalism School graduates are given the opportunity to produce groundbreaking reporting around the world through the prestigious Pulitzer Traveling Fellowship. 

These students are given funding to report from abroad, advancing international journalism and global storytelling. Congratulations to the 2026 winners: 

• Mashael Shah, ‘26 M.A. Arts & Culture (Special Interest in Arts Criticism or Reporting)
• Annika McGinnis, ’25 M.S. Data Journalism
• Mia Reiko Anzalone, ‘26 M.S.
• Alice Diamond Harrison, ’26 M.S.
• Katherine Weyback, ‘26 M.S. (Valedictorian)
   

Student Awards

The Jean Anderson Awards

• Leana Carbonez, ’26 M.S., Climate Change
• Gianna Totani, ’26 M.S., Local Reporting
• Anna Lee, ’26 M.S., Social Justice

The Nona Balakian Award

• Maya Abuali, ’26 M.S.

The Richard Blood Award

• Christopher Mendell Jr., ’26 M.S.

The Brown/Tow Award for Excellence in Computational Journalism

• Annika McGinnis, ’25 M.S. Data Journalism
• Runner-Up: Cameron Fozi, ’26 M.S. Dual Degree Computer Science

The Campbell Award

• Victoria Newsome, ’26 M.S.

The duPont/Judy F. Crichton Awards

• Video Journalism: Victoria Newsome, ’26 M.S., and Yuna Kim, ’26 M.S.
• Long-Form: Iona Horton, ’25 M.S., and Luisa Barone, ’25 M.S.

The Philip Greer Scholarship Fund Awards

• M.S. Program: Julie Lee, ’26 M.S.
• M.A. Program: Alix Coutures, ’26 M.A. Business & Economics

Arthur J. Harris Memorial Prize

• Tannu Jain, ’26 M.A. Science

The Fred M. Hechinger Journalism Education Award

• Mabel Lui, ’26 M.S.

The Journalism Editorial Award

• Sigrid Adamsson, ’26 M.A. Arts & Culture

The Peter Keller Prize

• Justine Streichenberger-Nicolas, ’26 M.S.

The Joan Konner Broadcast Journalism Award

• Alice Diamond Harrison, ’26 M.S.

Lynton Fellowships in Book Writing

• Manon Beliot, ’26 M.S.
• Nic Duffy, ’26 M.S.
• Reva Abrol, ’26 M.A. Politics
• Rob Price, ’26 Knight-Bagehot

The Morton Mintz Fellowships

• Bridget Spaulding Balch, ’26 M.A. Science
• Teddy Weiss, ’26 M.A. Politics

Honorable Mentions

• Barbara Blum, ’26 M.A. Arts & Culture
• Andrew Liu, ’26 M.A. Business & Economics

Best M.A. Thesis

• Tannu Jain ’26 M.A. Science

The Melvin Mencher Award

• Anna Lee, ’26 M.S.

The Henry N. Taylor Award

• Noa Metta, ’26 M.S.

James A. Wechsler Memorial Awards

• Sidney Kuripoor, ’26 M.S. Dual Degree International Relations and Affairs, Local Reporting
• Mabel Pickering, ’26 M.S., National Reporting
• Shivangi Sen, ’26 M.S. Stabile, International Reporting

Louis Winnick Prize

• Eleanor Barzun, ’26 M.S.
   

The celebration concluded ahead of the Columbia Journalism School Graduation Ceremony for the Class of 2026 on May 19, 2026.