Fischer-Zernin Award for Local Journalism
The Fischer-Zernin Award recognizes the best work by Duke students covering city and county governments and other critical metropolitan issues beyond Duke’s campus.
The Fischer-Zernin Award is a new student journalism award underwritten by Max Fischer-Zernin, one of the original student researchers in the Duke Reporters’ Lab who graduated from Duke in 2015.
“Duke students have a tremendous opportunity to contribute to Durham’s civic discourse by shining a light on misunderstood or overlooked community issues,” said Fischer-Zernin. “This award seeks to encourage Duke students to apply the skills they develop on campus to produce original journalism that engages and informs the communities they cover.”
The award, for articles/podcasts/video segments published in the prior calendar year, will carry a $500 prize. It will be presented in April at the annual DeWitt Wallace Center journalism awards ceremony along with the Melcher Award for Excellence in Student Journalism and the Futrell Award for Outstanding Achievement in Journalism by a Duke alum
Students can submit work for the Melcher or Fischer-Zernin awards using this form.
The deadline is February 1.
Contact shelley.stonecipher@duke.edu if you have any questions.
Fischer-Zernin Award for Local Journalism Recipients:
2024
Freya Gulamali
Tess Bierly
2023
Chloe Nguyen
2022
Charlotte Kramon
2021
Carmela Guaglianone
2020
Rebecca Torrence
Hannah Miao
2019
Erin Williams
Ben Leonard
2018
Bill McCarthy