2025 Student Journalism Prize Applications Now Being Accepted

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2025 Student Journalism Prize Applications Now Being Accepted

Mark Hyman, Chair of Selection Committee for The Drake Group Education Fund 2025 Student Journalism Prize for Investigative Reporting on Intercollegiate Athletics announced the application deadline and timetable for the announcement of this year’s winners. “There has never been a time when investigative journalism focused on college sports has been more needed. Student journalists have an important role to play in bringing these stories to the attention of readers and viewers,” Hyman said. “I’m pleased to lead a panel of expert judges who will review entries for this year’s contest. Thank you to The Drake Group Education Fund for this prize and for elevating the fine work of student journalists.” 

The Prize. The $1,000 Prize annually recognizes the print, video, or multimedia work of a graduate or undergraduate college student journalist or team of student journalists for investigative reporting on intercollegiate athletics. The work must address an issue related to the welfare of college athletes, economics of college sports, academic integrity, ethical conduct, gender and racial equity, treatment of a whistleblower, or other significant issues.

Eligibility. Application instructions and judging criteria are available here. The work must be produced by a student journalist or team of student journalists who must have been enrolled graduate or undergraduate students at the time the work was published. The work must have been published from April 1, 2024 – February 21, 2025. The deadline for applications or nominations from the general public is midnight, February 21, 2025, via email to: DrakeJournalismPrize@gmail.com.

Presentation. The Prize will be presented during the National Awards Luncheon at The Allen Sack National Symposium: Advancing Integrity in College Sport held on April 10, 2025 at the Howard University Blackburn Center Ballroom in Washington, D.C. All expenses will be provided for the journalist or a representative of any group of reporters to attend the Symposium. In addition to the $1,000 first place prize, second place receives a $250 honorarium and third place, a $100 honorarium.