The University of Vermont’s Center for Community News recognized Erin Jordan and 149 other academic journalism leaders with the Faculty Champion Award. Given to individuals for their efforts to start or expand university-led reporting programs in their region, and their contribution to a national movement of student-powered community reporting, the Center for Community News honored Jordan for her expansion of SJMC’s Iowa Community News class and partnership with community papers in Iowa.

“One of the things the Center asked faculty to do was explain a challenge they’re facing” Jordan said. “Like, what are they [faculty] going to try to do in the year that we are named these faculty champions?"

She explained that applicants were required to propose a challenge relating to starting or continuing a student-powered journalism initiative. Since the fall of 2024, Jordan and fellow SJMC faculty member Ty Rushing have been running Iowa Community News, a capstone class that gives SJMC majors the chance to work with the Mt. Vernon-Lisbon-Sun and Solon Economist.

Through this class, students advance local news in the towns they are reporting on while simultaneously gaining journalistic experience outside of the classroom. Collaborating with Lisbon editor Nathan Countryman and Solon editor Chris Umscheid, Jordan has made it her mission to grow the opportunity in ways that will be sustainable. 

“It sounds great, the idea that you’re increasing the capacity for reporting on sports and city meetings and all these sorts of things,” Jordan said. “It’s also a lot of work for those editors [Umscheid and Countryman] to communicate with a whole bunch of students and to have the same questions crop up to them semester after semester.” 

As such, one of Jordan’s goals is to create a standard operating procedures document with information on the collaborative process that would be utilized every semester. 

“We can have a document that’s evolving, but that also helps us not have to reinvent the wheel every semester,” Jordan said. 

Another goal Jordan has is to develop an “evergreen package,” a journalism project that is not limited by time constraints and able to be released at any time of year rather than having to coincide with a timely event.

“When the students are reporting for Solon and Lisbon, it’s during the semester, but the editors have to keep the papers going in the summer and during other breaks,” Jordan said. “So, an evergreen story is something that has a longer shelf life. It would be fresh and not tied to a specific event. It can continue to be updated as time goes on.” 

Alongside Jordan’s win, the other 149 awardees represented 41 states and two Canadian provinces. According to the University of Vermont, “They come from 15 community colleges, 41 Minority-Serving Institutions, 4 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, 30 Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and seven public media outlets. There are 35 private institutions represented and 113 public ones.” 

Furthermore, Jordan highlighted some of the other winners for their unique approaches to student journalism. She said that one winner in Alaska is using their award to support a partnership with Anchorage Daily News, while another is starting a one-hour program of Spanish language radio at the University of Vermont, having previously done so in Indiana. 

Jordan will receive coaching and support by the Center for Community News’ staff for the next year alongside a financial stipend.