Western journalism alumni lead the selection of Murrow News Fellows in a new state program designed to boost reporting in underserved communities.

Two Western alumni, Questen Inghram (’19) and Conor Wilson (’21), are in the first cohort, selected in April 2024. Inghram reports for the Yakima News-Herald, covering Lower Valley communities, elections and local government. Wilson covers health care, addiction and mental health in Kitsap County’s rural, suburban and urban communities in a partnership between the nonprofit Gig Harbor Now and The Kitsap Sun.

The second Murrow cohort, who began work in the fall, includes Nate Sanford (’22), who is covering housing, transit, climate change and other issues of focus for young adults, at Cascade Public Broadcasting and KNKX; and Mallory Kruml (’22), who is reporting on local and civic issues at the Port Townsend Leader.

Inghram shared his story earlier, and noted that “With the four of us, WWU is well over-represented in the Murrow News Fellowship.” Runners-up are the University of Washington. Washington State University and Columbia University, which each have two alumni among the 16 Murrow fellows.

The Western journalism alumni expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity and encourage other Western students to consider applying.

“The fellowship has gone really well,” Wilson said. “After spending a few years at a weekly paper where I was the only staff reporter, I was looking for more mentorship. My editors, colleagues and the other fellows have all been wonderful to work with and incredibly supportive.”   Because the Kitsap Sun is part of the USA Today network, some of his stories are picked up by newspapers in other counties and states.

Sanford was part of the Cascade PBS and KNKX election coverage, with attention to issues of interest to young voters.

“I applied because the beat description for the role sounded super interesting,” he said. “Young adults are a huge demographic group in Washington, but their perspectives aren’t always included in coverage of politics.” He added that he also applied because he wanted more experience doing audio journalism; one of his first such reports is an election story: WA voter turnout dropped for all ages – especially young people.

Kruml encouraged Western journalism students to consider applying for the fellowship, which can open new opportunities along the way.

“I would tell other future applicants to make the most of where they are now and, as hard as it can be, to trust the process,” she said. “I applied for the first round of fellowships in December of last year and was rejected without so much as a first interview. A fellow that was selected left an opening at the Snoqualmie Valley Record, and I ended up filling that position for nine months. Now, looking back, those months that I spent as the sole reporter at the Record, writing on every beat and filling the paper each week, did so much to prepare me for my new role.” Now, she’s a general assignment reporter at The Port Townsend Leader, working out of the building the newspaper has occupied since the 1880s. “The staff here are wildly passionate about their community and continuing the legacy of the Leader,” she said. “It’s been quite the adventure so far, and I am loving Port Townsend!”

The program is open to early-career journalists, who receive a two-year full-time assignment with a Washington news organization. It is funded by the Washington state legislature and administered by WSU’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. Because the fellows’ work is financed by a new $2.4 million apportionment in state funds, their stories are not behind a paywall in any of the Washington media that runs them. The legislators who championed the fellowship program are Sen. Karen Keiser (D-Des Moines), a former journalist; and Sen. Marko Liias (D-Edmonds).