Winners
The annual competition for the Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts generated outstanding work from student and professional journalists across the country produced in 2025. The entries covered a wide range of topics — from student journalists fending off limits on their publications to professional news outlets pressing for accountability on immigration enforcement and criminal justice. What they shared in common was a demonstrated commitment to reporting the tough stories that needed to be told.
As podcast host and executive editor, Urbina's Outlaw Ocean Project, Season 2, took listeners into the dangerous world of immigration enforcement off the coast of Libya, illuminating how the Libyan Coast Guard does the European Union's dirty work. Their podcast includes a harrowing account of Urbina and his team being captured and held by Libyan security forces as they reported this story.
Student newspaper co-editors Miller and Hilkowitz led the Indiana Daily Student's reporting and fight against Indiana University's efforts to censor its news coverage in print and to fire the director of student media. Their pushback against the administration galvanized support and national attention and resulted in a reversal of the university's actions.
Previous Winners
2025
Professional winners: Nick Gerda, LAist, and Amelia Ferrell Knisely, West Virginia Watch
Student media winners: Garrett Shanley, Independent Florida Alligator, and Sam Ellefson, Aspen Ford, Reagan Priest, Christopher Lomahquahu, Chad Bradley, Madison Perales, Eshaan Sarup, Mia Berry, Arizona State University Cronkite News
2024
Professional winners: Michael Riley, David Kocieniewski, Monte Reel, Jessica Brice, Eric Fan, Michael Smith, Natalie Obiko Pearson, Chris Cannon and Henry Baker, Bloomberg News
Student media winners: Theo Baker, Stanford University, Stanford Daily; Nicole Markus, Alyce Brown, Cole Reynolds and Divya Bhardwaj, Northwestern University, Daily Northwestern; University of North Carolina, Daily Tar Heel staff
2023
Professional winners: Brian van der Brug and Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, and Ian Urbina, "The Outlaw Ocean Project"
Student media winner: Evan Gerike, Indiana University, Indiana Daily Student
2022
Professional winner: Richard Webster, "Unwatched"
Student media winner: Zachary Huber, University of Florida, Independent Florida Alligator
2021
Professional winner: Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman and KVUE
Student media winner: Madeleine Davison, Syracuse University, Daily Orange