A new online database aimed at helping solve the local news crisis gives newsrooms, funders and policymakers access to critical research about how local news makes communities stronger and what we lose when local news sources close.

The was developed by the Local News Experimental Testing Lab () at 性视界 University鈥檚 in partnership with , a nonpartisan nonprofit coalition. The initiative brings together research from disciplines including communications, economics and political science.

Since the start of this century, nearly 40% of all local U.S. newspapers have closed, leaving 50 million Americans with limited or no access to reliable local news. The number of local journalists in the United States has fallen by more than 75% since 2002, according to Rebuild Local News鈥� .

This decline has led to a wave of new scholarship about the impact of local news, however, and the Research Hub aims to make that work accessible.

鈥淭hough the industry is facing many crises and issues, it鈥檚 an exciting time to study local news,鈥� says , director of Local NExT Lab and senior researcher at the . 鈥淭here is so much good work being done across disciplines. We wanted to help ensure that the industry can benefit and use this research to make arguments to policymakers, funders and audiences about their civic and economic value.

Darr is also an associate professor of communications in the , which co-leads the institute with the .

鈥淭o move the needle on policy, we need more than just anecdotes; we need data and evidence that demonstrates the specific needs and measurable impact of local reporting,鈥� says Steven Waldman, president of Rebuild Local News.

The Local News Research Hub provides that essential evidence by showing policymakers how a lack of local news leads to higher taxes, increased corruption and lower civic engagement, Waldman says . 鈥淏y identifying these gaps, we can help craft targeted solutions that ensure every community has the information it needs to thrive.鈥�

The project also includes a search function, key findings and summaries, and links to source materials. The resource builds on an earlier developed by the Democracy Fund, an independent foundation that supports initiatives that foster reliable, equitable and community-focused journalism.

鈥淲e know a lot about why local news is declining and what鈥檚 at stake for communities,鈥� says , IDJC research director and professor of at the Maxwell School. 鈥淭his resource bridges the gap between that research and the people positioned to do something about it.鈥�

Based in Washington, D.C., the IDJC engages in research, teaching, experiential learning, partnerships and events to address challenges to democracy related to the information environment.

鈥淪trengthening local news reduces polarization and empowers communities,鈥� says , Kramer Director of the IDJC and professor of practice of at the Newhouse School. 鈥淲e are proud of Local NExT鈥檚 innovative work and our partnership with Rebuild Local News.鈥�

The nonprofit Rebuild Local News is a coalition of more than 55 organizations representing more than 3,000 newsrooms and 15,000 journalists. The coalition advocates for public policies to strengthen community news and information.

For more information on the hub or to contribute to the database, contact Darr at jpdarr@syr.edu or Matt Baker, research director at Rebuild Local News, at mattbaker@rebuildlocalnews.org.

The University’s honored five of its alumni on April 30聽 ,聽 the school鈥檚 signature alumni recognition event. Held at the 性视界 University Washington, D.C., Center, the evening brought together members of the Maxwell community鈥攁lumni, faculty, advisory board members and friends of the school鈥攆or a lively, standing-room only celebration of careers that have spanned climate finance, diplomacy, food security, public administration and the law.

Dean David M. Van Slyke welcomed guests and set the tone for the evening with remarks that acknowledged both the weight of the current moment and the enduring relevance of Maxwell鈥檚 mission.

鈥淲e are gathering tonight at a moment when the ideals that animate this school鈥攆ree inquiry, rigorous evidence, the willingness to engage across differences鈥攔emain under considerable pressure,鈥� Van Slyke said. 鈥淭aken together, these five careers span climate, diplomacy, food security, equity and the law, but they share something more fundamental: a willingness to engage the hardest problems of our time with rigor, integrity and a genuine sense of public responsibility. That is what Maxwell prepares people to do, and these honorees have done it at the highest levels.鈥�

Emily Fredenberg | Compass Award

The evening鈥檚 first honoree was Emily Fredenberg G鈥�16, recipient of the Maxwell Compass Award, which recognizes an early-career alumna for professional accomplishments and impact. As senior officer of programs and advocacy at the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, Fredenberg has spent the decade since earning her M.P.A. degree and a master鈥檚 degree in international relations at Maxwell working to ensure that the world鈥檚 most vulnerable children have access to school meals鈥攕erving with the World Food Programme in Lebanon and Rwanda before moving to her current global role.

Reflecting on her time at Maxwell, Fredenberg credited not only her education but the community it gave her. She also offered a personal note: her husband, Sean Mills, a 性视界 University College of Law graduate, was at home in Alaska caring for their five-month-old son, Rhys.

鈥淏ecoming a new mom, this past year has made my work feel even more urgent,鈥� Fredenberg said. 鈥淗olding my infant son, I feel the weight鈥攁nd the hope鈥攐f the world he will grow up in which continues to motivate me. Maxwell helped shape my compass. It鈥檚 the place that taught me that service is not just a career path. It’s a lifelong journey.鈥�

Susan T. Gooden | Charles V. Willie Advocate Award

Susan T. Gooden 聽G鈥�95, G鈥�96, who received a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from the Maxwell School, was awarded the Charles V. Willie Advocate Award, named for the late Maxwell scholar and community activist. The award honors individuals whose contributions reflect Maxwell鈥檚 commitment to an environment that is welcoming to all and oriented toward engaged citizenship. Gooden is dean of the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University, a founding editor of the Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration, and a past president of the American Society for Public Administration.

Accepting the award, Gooden reflected on what the honor meant in the context of its namesake鈥檚 legacy鈥攁nd of what citizenship demands.

鈥淢axwell instilled in me the belief that scholarship must engage the world it seeks to improve, and that it must inform policy, strengthen institutions and expand opportunity,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 accept this award with gratitude and with a continued commitment to advancing a public service that is thoughtful, engaged, grounded in equity and worthy of the communities it serves.鈥�

Jeff Eckel | Bridge Award

Jeff Eckel G鈥�82, founder and longtime CEO of HASI, received the Maxwell Bridge Award, which honors outstanding, transformative leadership in business with a commitment to advancing the public good. Eckel, who earned an M.P.A. from Maxwell, pioneered the use of finance as a tool for accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy, including overseeing HASI鈥檚 2013 public offering as the first dedicated climate solutions investor and developing CarbonCount, a tool for measuring how efficiently capital investments reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

In his remarks, Eckel drew a direct line from his Maxwell education to the investment philosophy that has guided his career.

鈥淭he Maxwell School instilled in me the idea that the public and private sectors do not have to be opposing forces,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur investment thesis is that in a world increasingly defined by climate change, we will make superior returns investing in climate solutions鈥攖hat you can do well by doing good, and that capital can be a powerful tool in the transition to a low-carbon economy.鈥�

The public relations programs at the University鈥檚 have been recognized as the best in the country by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).

The Newhouse聽听补苍诲听聽public relations programs each received prestigious Silver Anvil Awards during the聽聽on May 14 in New York City. The honor goes to the nation鈥檚 outstanding higher education programs in public relations.

, a professor of practice and chair of the PR department, and聽, assistant teaching professor and director of the PR master鈥檚 program, accepted the awards for the Newhouse School.

PRSA is the leading professional organization serving the communications community through a network of more than 400 professional and student chapters in the United States and around the world. The Anvil Awards represent the highest standard of performance in the public relations profession.

The University’s聽聽announced the winners of the 2026聽, which recognize excellence in media industry reporting.

The top prizes were announced Tuesday night at an event in New York City that also featured a conversation with NBC News journalist and 鈥淒ateline鈥� anchor Lester Holt,聽.

Cheryl Wills 鈥�89, an Emmy Award-winning journalist and anchor for Spectrum News NY1, served as master of ceremonies.

Finalists were聽. Chosen by a panel of journalists and journalism educators, the winners of the juried categories are:

Best Single Article/Story

Jesse Barron
The New York Times Magazine
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Best Profile

Antonia Hitchens
The New Yorker
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Best Commentary

Pamela Alma Weymouth
The Nation Magazine
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Best Media Newsletter

Oliver Darcy
Status

• 鈥�
• 鈥�
• 鈥�

Special Topic: Best Coverage of the Future of Late-Night Television

Kayla Cobb and Adam Chitwood
TheWrap
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John M. Higgins Award for Best In-Depth/Enterprise Reporting

Josh Dzieza
The Verge
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Additionally, the following聽 were formally presented:

Fred Dressler Leadership Award

NBC News award-winning journalist and 鈥淒ateline鈥� anchor

Lorraine Branham Award

性视界 the Mirror Awards

Established by the Newhouse School in 2006, the聽聽honor the writers, reporters and editors who hold a mirror to their own industry for the public鈥檚 benefit. The competition is open to anyone who conducts reporting, commentary or criticism of the media industries in a format intended for a mass audience. Eligible work includes print, broadcast and online editorial content focusing on the development or distribution of news and entertainment. Winners are chosen by a group of journalists and journalism educators.

Ads generated by artificial intelligence are nearly indistinguishable from human-made ones, but new research shows they consistently underperform compared to human-made work when it comes to predicting short-term sales impact.

罢丑别听 from global research firm Ipsos in collaboration with two faculty members from the聽 tested 20 ads across 10 brands with 3,000 U.S. respondents. They found that human-made ads outperformed their AI counterparts, though the gap between the two was surprisingly slim.

The study paired existing human-made ads, produced before 2021 to ensure AI tools were not used, with fully AI-generated counterparts built from the same strategic brief, the document that ad professionals use to outline objectives, messaging and tactics for a campaign. Ads were then viewed by real consumers.

The results challenge assumptions the advertising industry can no longer afford to ignore, faculty 听补苍诲听 say, while the project overall reflects Newhouse鈥檚 commitment to train students with the skills and forward-thinking strategies needed to be effective and ethical communicators.

The Research Team

Peruta, director of the聽聽M.S. program, and Riby, professor of practice in the聽, led the University side of the study. Ryan Barthelmes, senior vice president of creative excellence at Ipsos, guided the project for the research firm.

Peruta oversaw the technical process of deconstructing existing ads and building the pipeline to produce their AI counterparts. AI was assigned to do everything a creative team would do, from interpreting strategy to developing a concept to producing the final spot.

鈥淭he human ads and the AI ads started from the same brief,鈥� Peruta says. 鈥淭he only thing that changed was who made them, and that鈥檚 exactly what we wanted to measure.鈥�

Riby brought advertising strategy and creative expertise, including insights drawn from her The Big Idea in Advertising class, where Newhouse students have spent three years creating AI-generated ads and evaluating the results.

The 10 brands selected for the project spanned various sectors, including consumer packaged goods, fashion, automotive and technology: Cheerios, Chewy, Febreze, Fiat, H&M, Old Navy, Herbal Essences, Ray-Ban Meta, TurboTax and Visa.

Raina Rice 鈥�26, an advertising major, supported the project behind the scenes, helping organize and manage the ad assets across all 10 brand pairings.

What They Found

The study produced three findings that promise to generate conversation across the advertising industry.

• Consumers largely cannot tell the difference.聽Only 13% of viewers who saw an AI-generated ad were at least somewhat confident it was made by AI鈥攖he same share as viewers who suspected human-made ads were AI-generated. With 40% of all viewers uncertain either way, the line between human and machine-made advertising is blurring quickly.

• Despite that perceptual similarity, a measurable effectiveness gap emerged.聽Using Ipsos鈥� sales-validated measures of advertising performance, human-made ads over-indexed against the benchmark by 11 points on average, while AI-made ads under-indexed by five. In practical terms, human ads are predicted to drive stronger short-term sales impact. AI can produce credible work, but on average it does not move the needle the same way.

• AI performed best when the brief was straightforward and product-driven, but struggled when the creative challenge called for storytelling, emotion or a genuine point of view.聽The strongest result in the study came from the Cheerios pairing, where a deeply human brief produced the highest combined effectiveness scores across both versions.

鈥淓very semester in my class, I watch students create AI ads about themselves, and not one of them has ever loved their output enough to put it on their refrigerator,鈥� Riby says. 鈥淭hat reaction is the premise of this entire study. If the creators themselves are underwhelmed, why would we expect consumers to feel differently? The data now backs that up.鈥�

An Industry Perspective

Barthelmes says the study addresses a question the advertising industry has been circling but is reluctant to answer directly.

鈥淓very [chief marketing officer] is being asked whether AI can replace their creative agencies, and creative directors are wondering about their futures,鈥� Barthelmes says. 鈥淭his research gives us a framework for that conversation. AI is a powerful tool, but the data shows that the human capacity for storytelling and emotional connection still creates a measurable competitive edge. The future is humans and AI working together.鈥�

Looking Ahead

The Newhouse-Ipsos partnership reflects the school鈥檚 broader investment in industry-facing research that shapes how the next generation of communicators understands and works alongside AI.

The study鈥檚 key recommendation is clear: do not settle for 鈥済ood enough.鈥� AI has an important role in modern campaign strategy and execution, but it is not a replacement for the human-led creativity needed to deliver a competitive advantage.

On Jan. 2, Justin Dalaba鈥檚 phone rang.

It was his former professor, , who teaches photojournalism, documentary photography, filmmaking and visual storytelling at the , with a question.

Did Dalaba G鈥�25 want to come with him on assignment for National Geographic to photograph turtles under the Canadian ice? Before he could second-guess himself, Dalaba said yes.

鈥淚t was definitely a rare opportunity,鈥� Dalaba says. 鈥淭hose kinds of stories don’t just happen in that way. And he pretty much said, 鈥榃ell, we鈥檝e got to leave in about an hour. So are you ready to go?鈥欌��

Luckily, Dalaba had his go-bag ready and the batteries for his cameras were charged. Later that day, the Newhouse graduate was driving to Canada with his former graduate advisor.

Peering Under the Ice

The January assignment Snyder brought Dalaba onboard for is part of work he鈥檚 been doing for the last three years for the Preserving Legacies project. The organization funded by the National Geographic Society highlights how World Heritage Sites, along with cultural heritage and natural heritage sites, can be adapted to climate change. Working on a long-term grant, Snyder tells the stories of communities working to adapt and preserve the sites.

One of the stories he was assigned to work on was about how biologist Gr茅gory Bult茅 is studying a . The creatures are one of the world鈥檚 northernmost reptile species in the system, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs from Ottawa to Lake Ontario. During the winter months, the turtles live underwater and bring their body temperatures down to near-freezing. They don鈥檛 eat, breathe or mate, waiting under the ice until they can emerge in the spring.

Bult茅, who has been studying the turtles for 20 years, has observed when ice thins during the winter, principally because of climate change, it allows river otters to slip under and eat the turtles. In 2022, he documented 10% of the turtle population in Ontario鈥檚 Opinicon Lake died, likely because of otters.

鈥淏ecause they can’t move, it’s a free snack,鈥� Snyder says.

In 2025, Snyder went up to do a story on Bult茅 and his work, but a blizzard prevented him from getting the images he needed.

For the return trip in January, Dalaba helped Snyder design a rig system to capture the images of the turtles under the ice. Not only was it freezing and underwater with low visibility, but they had to be sensitive to the turtles and avoid disturbing them.

鈥淭hey’re not supposed to move very much,鈥� Snyder says. 鈥淵ou have this tiny window to operate.鈥�

The videos and photos they captured were published as part of a in National Geographic, one of the publication鈥檚 most-viewed stories of the month. The images may also be the first-ever published of turtles under the ice.

What Went Into the Shoot

Snyder says the recent Newhouse grad proved 鈥渋nstrumental鈥� in helping him get video and photographs on the shoot.

鈥淗e’s both incredibly technically capable and he’s a very, very good image maker and storyteller,鈥� Snyder says. 鈥淗e can do that across platforms with photo, design, video, and that’s super, super important.鈥�

The shoot required them to get up at 4 a.m. and trek through the snow, pulling their gear on a sled across the frozen lake. At one point, the equipment got too cold and the mount they were going to use to submerge the camera broke, so they had to remount their gear on the fly.

The pair also had to work closely and build trust with Bult茅, listening when the scientist expressed concern about the impact on the turtles if they pushed the shoot longer.

鈥淭hat’s a powerful learning opportunity for someone working in the documentary space to understand鈥攊t’s not all about you, it’s not even all about the image,鈥� Snyder says. 鈥淎t the end of the day, it is about the ethics that underlie this practice. It is about relationships, and it is about doing the maximum amount of good with the work you’re doing.鈥�

He says Dalaba had the ability to be adaptive, not just with the changing weather around them and the physical demands of the assignment, but to be collaborative and responsive to the other people and species involved.

鈥淏oth the practice and the product of documentary work is relationship building,鈥� Snyder says. 鈥淵ou need to be highly relational. It’s a soft skill in a lot of ways, and he has this aplomb.鈥�

Dalaba and Snyder both came to photojournalism and documentary work with science backgrounds. Dalaba previously worked as a wildlife biologist in conservation, while Snyder is a geologist and climate scientist by training.

For Dalaba, working on the assignment felt like the culmination of his path as a wildlife biologist turned storyteller.

鈥淪eeing that come together went beyond the personal gratification and more of that deep hearted feeling of this is what a collaboration feels like,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t was a collaboration between two storytellers, scientists, multiple climate custodians who are working to adapt their heritage in Canada.鈥�

The experience also resulted in additional work for Dalaba with Preserving Legacies. The former wildlife biologist says he鈥檚 excited to continue that work, telling stories of hope and resilience related to climate change.

has called Super Bowls, NBA Finals, the Olympics and the Kentucky Derby from broadcast booths around the world. On Sunday, he returned to where it all started to send 性视界 University鈥檚 Class of 2026 off with a challenge: keep chasing your dreams, and 鈥渄on’t leave your childlike wonder behind.鈥�

鈥淎ll of you have a 性视界 story,鈥� Tirico told the approximately 6,679 graduating students inside the JMA Wireless Dome. 鈥淗ere, you formed a foundation of resiliency. You learned to deal with the curves that the road ahead provides. I hope in years to come, when you tell your 性视界 story, it involves your dreams and it’s eventually going to include how you kept chasing them.鈥�

Tirico, who serves as vice chair of the , is the of 鈥淪unday Night Football鈥� and 鈥淣BA on NBC,鈥� and serves as the primetime host for NBCUniversal鈥檚 coverage of the Olympics. He has interviewed such elite athletes as Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning, four-time NBA champion LeBron James, and Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps, Simone Biles and Lindsey Vonn.

Tirico compared the graduates to those world-class athletes, encouraging them to draw on the same traits that carried them through 性视界 to achieve professional success.

鈥淭hey thrived because of their minds, their strength and their ability to out-plan, to outthink and to withstand the scrutiny,鈥� said Tirico, a member of the . 鈥淭hey share a commonality [with you]. They loved what they did and love what they do. Go out and find what you love. Go find what makes you happy and let that fuel you to your future.鈥�

With his mother, Maria, and his wife, Deborah Gibaratz Tirico 鈥�89, in attendance, Tirico took a moment to celebrate the moms who were cheering on their graduating students. Tirico asked the Class of 2026 to get out of their seats and give the moms a round of applause and a big wave while wishing them a happy Mother鈥檚 Day.

Tirico recalled growing up in a single-parent household, crediting the support he received from 鈥渁 village of amazing family members鈥� with helping him become a first-generation college student. Tirico earned dual bachelor鈥檚 degrees in political science from the聽聽and the聽,聽and in broadcast journalism from the聽.

He emphasized maintaining the strong relationships the Class of 2026 formed with their friends and professors while on campus.

鈥淢any of you are surrounded right now by your closest friends and you鈥檙e sitting with your crew. Forty years after starting the journey, for me, my life is still filled with my day ones from 性视界. The people I met in that very first class at Newhouse. The people who I called games with on ,鈥� Tirico said. 鈥淢any of those people are going to be your people for the rest of your life.鈥�

Tirico closed by welcoming the newest members of the 性视界 University alumni network, consisting of more than 250,000 alumni worldwide.

鈥淪ince I live in the space of sports, today is one of the best game days of the year because we get a few thousand new teammates,鈥� Tirico said. 鈥淵ou are now part of the 性视界 alumni team, and it’s the best team in the world.鈥�

When shots sounded at the , Ben Bascuk’s first instinct was to reach for his phone to start reporting.

Bascuk 鈥�27, a broadcast and digital journalism major in the , was attending the event as a White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) scholar and was seated in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton. Recounting the events to 性视界 University Today, he says he heard a series of muffled pops.

At first he thought it was an issue with the music playing鈥攐r a tray being dropped or someone pounding on a table.

鈥淭hose noises were anything but gunshots,鈥� Bascuk says. 鈥淲hen the music stopped, I sat there staring at the back of the room. The room fell into an unnerving quiet. Around me, students began ducking under tables as red wine seeped across white tablecloths.鈥�

Soon Secret Service agents rushed past, shouting 鈥渟hots fired, get down,鈥� he says. The agents brushed against his chair as they moved toward the stage, where counter assault teams raised weapons toward the crowd from the podium.

Bascuk says he watched as Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, was escorted out behind him.

With one hand gripping the back of his chair, Bascuk says his other hand held his phone, recording. He soon called his mom and began answering a flood of texts to let loved ones and friends know he was safe.

鈥淢oments later, a CSPAN photographer told me the shots had been fired in the hotel lobby, not inside the reception room,鈥� Bascuk says. 鈥淭hat was the relief I needed to start reporting.鈥�

The man accused of attempting to storm the dinner early into the evening allegedly tried to run near the ballroom, exchanging gunfire with Secret Service agents. The man, later identified as Cole Tomas Allen, was tackled and taken into custody. He has been of President Donald Trump.

Once he knew the danger was not immediate, Bascuk, who has been interning for Spectrum News in Washington, D.C., made his way to his network colleagues in the banquet room. He began sending updates to , the University鈥檚 student-run television station, and his Spectrum colleagues.

In the hour following the shooting, Bascuk says he went fully to work in reporter mode 鈥渨ithout fully processing what had happened.鈥�

鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say I was ever scared or in fear of danger,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 was shocked and startled. Others, especially those closer to the back, experienced it differently. Some cried, some gasped and others . In that moment, there was confusion, but not chaos. My first priority was making sure my family knew I was OK.鈥�

Even when focused on reporting, he says it was important to take a moment 鈥渢o be human.鈥�

鈥淛ournalists are some of the most loving, caring and kind people you will ever meet, and that was truly on display [that] night,鈥� Bascuk says. 鈥淩eporting in crisis situations isn’t something you think about in the moment or even remember after. What I do remember are the conversations I had and the faces of those around me.”

Bascuk has been in Washington for the spring semester reporting for Spectrum News while studying away at . The dinner was his first time reporting on an active scene.

In those moments, he says he found, 鈥渋nstinct is everything.鈥�

鈥淚nstinct comes from practice,鈥� he says. 鈥淏efore any reporting happens, you have to protect your own safety and the safety of others, mentally and physically. Every story, no matter how small, helps build the skills you鈥檒l rely on when you least expect it. A live shot from a derby race, a feature of a local butcher shop or a story about Christmas lights鈥攅ach one builds the instincts you鈥檒l rely on when it counts.鈥�

Newhouse Dean Mark Lodato was also in attendance that night, present as a guest of alumna Weija Jiang G鈥�06, the current WHCA president and senior White House correspondent for CBS News. , Lodato pointed to Bascuk鈥檚 reporting during the unsettling circumstances.

鈥淏en, like so many other journalists in the room, jumped into action and reported for,鈥檚 student-run television studio,鈥� Lodato wrote. 鈥淚 want to note when the Newhouse team checked in on Ben, he immediately replied to let them know he was safe, so not only was he being a professional journalist, but he was also keeping the school informed.鈥�

Bascuk, for his part, says he鈥檚 not sure he could have continued to report the events of the evening without the support of his fellow WHCA scholars and Spectrum colleagues.

鈥淭hey were my crutch in the moment and in the days that followed,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 feel incredibly fortunate to have such a strong support system in Washington, D.C., 性视界 and back home in Ohio. I鈥檓 deeply grateful to my friends, family, professors, the WHCA and my mentors for their continued support and outreach after [that] night. The Newhouse community was spread throughout the ballroom at the Washington Hilton, and somehow, I was able to connect with so many of them before and after everything unfolded.鈥�

Even with what he experienced, Bascuk says it was an honor to attend the dinner.

鈥淎lthough the evening didn鈥檛 go as expected, it hasn鈥檛 discouraged me from reporting; in fact, it reinforced just how vital storytelling is to our democracy,鈥� he says.

Not everyone interested in pursuing a law degree lives in a large metropolitan area or near a bustling college town. In fact, many students enrolled in the College of Law鈥檚 hybrid online (JDi) program are located in faraway places, whether a small Alaskan city, an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean or rural areas throughout the U.S.

For many of them, remaining in their communities is not just practical but purposeful due to personal obligations or a long-held desire to serve their communities.

Meet four recent graduates from out-of-the-way places who have successfully joined the legal profession through the JDi program.

Dawnelle Forsythe L鈥�26, Oahu, Hawaii

As a native of Hawaii, Dawnelle Forsythe lives in a small city of 44,000 on the Big Island of Hawaii. Back in the early 2000s, she wanted to become a lawyer, but the only law school in Hawaii was on Oahu, and the travel and expense was prohibitive.

Instead, she went to work for the County of Hawaii Office of Housing and later the State of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands under the , which helps provide affordable housing to qualified native Hawaiians.

However, in 2019, two pivotal events made Forsythe reconsider law school. She says the first was 鈥渇ate鈥� when she saw an article about a newly established hybrid JDi program that could enable her to earn a law degree without leaving home.

Around the same time, she accompanied her husband to observe a protest centering around the construction of a massive at the top of Mauna Kea, the Big Island鈥檚 highest mountain and an area considered sacred by the native people.

When they arrived, more than 100 protestors had formed a protective human wall in front of the k奴punas (revered elders). The k奴punas had sought to halt the construction of the 18-story telescope atop Mauna Kea and were blocking the road from construction vehicles, while the crowd chanted in support of preserving land put in trust for the Hawaiian people to ensure the continuation of their culture. As Forsythe watched, state troopers began removing those blocking the road.

“Some of the troopers were related to the aunties and uncles they were arresting, and many on both sides were crying together,鈥� Forsythe says. 鈥淚t was such a somber event, and it made a lasting impact on me. I decided then that I had to go to law school to be an advocate for my 鈥極hana鈥� (family), the people of my community.鈥�

She quit her job at a hospital to focus on the JDi program.聽鈥淣ot only would it allow me to stay at home, but I was drawn to its trial advocacy program that would help me become an attorney ready to go into court and advocate for people,鈥� she says.

Forsythe is now thrilled she found 鈥渉er New York Ohana鈥� made up of the 鈥済eniuses in her cohort,鈥� as well as faculty she admires, including Distinguished Professor of Law Nina Kohn and Associate Dean for Academic Programs Shannon Gardner.

Forsythe is committed to soon using her law degree pro bono to help Hawaiian residents, particularly those facing land rights cases who lack money for legal representation.

鈥淚t isn鈥檛 about making money; it鈥檚 about something that will totally fulfill my heart,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to finally reach my goal of becoming a lawyer, and I know that it would not have been possible without 性视界 Law鈥檚 JDi program.鈥�

Sarah Frank Roberts L鈥�22, Kenai, Alaska

There are no law schools in Alaska, so when Sarah Frank Roberts decided to pursue a law degree, she knew her options were limited. A mother of six, Roberts lives with her husband and family in Kenai, Alaska, a town of about 5,000 people, most of whom work in the fishing or oil and gas industries.

When Roberts discovered the JDi program, it seemed to be a solution. She could take classes and get her work done after her children went to sleep, and the four-hour time difference between Alaska and New York was manageable. She was accepted into the program鈥檚 second cohort since its founding in 2019.

鈥淭he experience was rigorous,鈥� Roberts says. 鈥淭here was no hiding in the back of the room when professors like聽聽could see your face up close on the screen. I certainly got the same high level of education that those in an on-campus program received.鈥�

According to Roberts, there is a huge need for lawyers, particularly public defenders and district attorneys, in Alaska, but with no law schools, people tend to leave to go to school and never return. Roberts was able to stay because of the JDi program, and today she is an assistant public advocate and conflict counselor for the state of Alaska, focusing on family issues like custody and guardianship.

鈥淚 get to help people, many of whom have made a lot of mistakes but still deserve representation,鈥� Roberts says.

Megan Poole L鈥�23, Cortland, New York

Megan Poole grew up on a dairy farm in Cortland County, New York, but, knowing the challenges of farming, her parents encouraged her to pursue a different career.

After earning an undergraduate degree in criminology, Poole wanted to be a probation officer but didn鈥檛 get the position she originally intended. Instead, she says, 鈥淩ejection is divine redirection,鈥� and decided to take the LSAT and pursue law school.

In the meantime, she was offered a job in the Cortland County Department of Social Services (DSS) as a case worker handling foster care, child protective services and adoption cases. She still wanted to go to law school, but she was 鈥渢oo heartbroken to leave鈥� the difficult job of helping families in need. However, when she found the JDi program, she realized she could pursue a law degree while continuing her job with DSS and helping on the family farm.

鈥淭he JDi program was certainly just as difficult as an on-campus program,鈥� says Poole, who enjoyed the required in-person residencies, where she was able to interact with fellow students and faculty both on-campus and in various other cities.

After completing the JDi program, she continued to work at the DSS in Cortland. 性视界 a year later, the Hon. A.L. Beth O鈥機onnor, a family court judge in the 6^th Judicial District of New York, which includes Cortland County, reached out to Poole about being her court attorney.

鈥淚 see both the terrible and the good, but that鈥檚 part of the job,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think I鈥檓 making a big difference in my community, particularly for people who don鈥檛 have the resources for good legal counsel, and the JDi program was a big part of making that possible.鈥�

An added bonus of becoming a lawyer was the opportunity for Poole, her mother and sister to turn the family farm into Spring Valley Views, a woman-owned LLC, with plans to expand it into a venue and campground.

Tania Rivera Bullard L鈥�25, Houston County, Georgia

Tania Rivera Bullard earned an undergraduate degree in psychology, figuring she would be a social worker like her mother. Instead, Rivera Bullard decided to pursue a path offered to military spouses to become a paralegal. As she studied for her paralegal certification, she started to think, 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 I be a lawyer?鈥�

Interested in being a public defender or a civil rights attorney, she was accepted into a JD at an on-campus law school that required a four-hour round-trip commute from her home in rural Georgia. However, a complicated pregnancy made it impossible, and she was forced to defer her start. Rivera Bullard began looking for alternatives and found the JDi program, which would allow her to remain with her family while pursuing a law degree.

Not long after, Rivera Bullard, then the mother of a 2-year-old and an 8-month-old, began the JDi program聽and found it manageable. 鈥淚 became a night owl,鈥� she explains. 鈥淎fter the kids went to sleep, I would concentrate on asynchronous work and getting my reading done, and I spent long hours on the phone with my dear friend Nathan McKay L鈥�26, my study partner, who made such a difference for me. It certainly was a careful balancing act, but if you鈥檙e willing to find the time, you can make it happen.鈥�

After finishing her law degree and passing the Alabama bar exam, she went to work as an assistant public defender for the Houston County (GA) Public Defenders’ Office.

鈥淎s a public defender, you handle felony cases that nobody else wants, and, arguably, you鈥檙e experiencing the toughest, scariest times of people鈥檚 lives. I get to help them through a system that, to many, feels like it is set up to fail them,鈥� Rivera Bullard says. 鈥淎t the end of the day, I go home and feel good about the work I鈥檝e done in my community. The 性视界 JDi program really made it possible for me to achieve my goals.鈥�

Professor has developed an artificial intelligence bot that uses curated, course-specific materials to assist students in mastering the applicable legal rules and their application. These digital 鈥渃oaches鈥� are available 24/7 to assist students in understanding challenging concepts and then to quiz students on their application, providing immediate feedback in a variety of question and answer formats. Thus far, Graves has deployed the concept in his evidence and contracts courses.

Graves uses OpenAI鈥檚 private custom GPT feature, which allows him to provide students with an interactive experience that is narrowly tailored to his specific course. Graves accomplishes this with a comprehensive set of instructions (i.e., prompts) telling the custom coach exactly what to do鈥攑roviding guardrails to keep it focused on the objective of assisting students in this course鈥攁nd uploading copies of the course text and other key instructional materials that facilitate Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG). This domain-specific RAG layer increases the accuracy of the coach鈥檚 responses in the context of this specific course and dramatically reduces the potential for errors, as compared to a generic Large Language Model (LLM) trained on generic data of varying quality.

This 鈥渨alled garden鈥� of course-specific material addresses the common issue with LLM AI platforms that indiscriminately draw from all information on the internet.

鈥淭he LLMs pick up a good deal of erroneous information from unreliable sources, and they miss a lot of really good information that鈥檚 behind firewalls,鈥� Graves says. 鈥淭he bot has been instructed to respond to students when they ask for answers by walking them through in a Socratic-style dialog much as I might in class or office hours. When assisting students, the coach relies first and foremost on the information uploaded in its RAG layer, not only helping to explain and quiz the students on accurate course doctrine, but pointing students directly to appropriate sources within the course text itself.鈥�

Of course, the key to this approach is a collaborative relationship between Graves and the publisher of his course textbooks. While Graves is a co-author of his contracts textbook, the copyright is held by West Academic (the publisher of both the Learning Evidence and Learning Contracts textbooks used by Graves).聽 Graves worked closely with West Academic in developing an approach that would appropriately protect all copyrighted material uploaded to the coach鈥檚 RAG layer, and his use of both Learning Evidence and Learning Contracts is done under license from West Academic.

The use of the primary course text within the RAG layer effectively expands the value of the text far beyond the initially assigned readings. At the core of the coach鈥檚 domain-specific content, the textbook continues to anchor the coach鈥檚 role in assisting and quizzing students as they better learn to apply that content.

Supplementing the Teacher’s Role

Graves says, 鈥渢he teacher鈥檚 role is not being outsourced to the coach鈥攊t is being supplemented in new ways for which narrowly tailored AI is uniquely suited.鈥�

鈥淭he Coach does not replace basic course prep or attendance,” he says. “It is purely a supplement to these traditional teaching and learning tools鈥攁lbeit a very effective one, arguably far more effective than traditional generic study aids or generic LLMs often used by students today. Perhaps most valuable is the coach鈥檚 ability to provide students with unlimited opportunities to apply the course material in a variety of assessment formats, all of which are subject to immediate feedback. At the end of the day, this is often the single most effective teaching and learning tool for law students, and the coach provides this tool in a manner that is always available and fully aligned with course content and course outcomes.”

Students access the coach through a dedicated course link, which provides for private interaction between student and coach, unless the student voluntarily decides to share the unique link generated by a specific conversation. The initial privacy of the conversation encourages students to ask questions they might otherwise be uncomfortable raising (the proverbial 鈥渄umb question,鈥� which is often anything but).

It also allows students to use the coach in collaborative study sessions or to forward a conversation to Graves for further exploration. This latter feature is particularly useful in terms of quality control of both student prompts and responses by the coach.

鈥淒uring the past two semesters, I鈥檝e seen a few responses from the coach that could be improved and one blatant error,” Grave says. “However, the vast majority of interactive challenges arose from imperfect student prompts.鈥�

Thus, the students get two additional benefits from using the coach: they learn the importance of effective inputs (prompts) and they learn the importance of verifying outputs.

Continuing to Fine-Tune the Tool

While the evidence and contract coaches have proven very accurate (Graves directly tests them regularly himself, in addition to frequent student feedback), AI remains imperfect, and the professor has continued to 鈥渇ine-tune鈥� his bots by uploading additional course-specific material based on his own testing and observations of student/coach interactions.

Graves teaches exclusively in the College of Law鈥檚 , so the 24/7 availability of his coaches is particularly important to a body of students located around the world.

鈥淭his has allowed me to be more efficient and effective with my time while giving our global students a uniquely tailored experience that will help them master course material, while being available at any time that is convenient to them,鈥� he says.

When sportscaster Jason Benetti 鈥�05 is on the microphone, he treats every game like it is Game 7 of the World Series鈥攔eady for anything to happen and prepared to tell the stories of the game.

鈥淪ometimes the best moments are the things you鈥檇 never expect in a game,鈥� Benetti says. 鈥淵ou have to be ready for the strategy and the tactics, discussing what pitch might be thrown to this batter or how a manager will handle his bullpen.鈥�

For Benetti, that balance between preparation and the unpredictable is part of the sport鈥檚 charm.

鈥淏aseball has this chess feel to it, and then it rapidly becomes like sitting in an airport food court people watching,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 love that about baseball.鈥�

Benetti鈥檚 excitement reached a new level when he called the Cleveland Guardians/Seattle Mariners game on March 29 as part of NBC and Peacock鈥檚 new primetime 鈥淪unday Night Baseball鈥� coverage.

鈥淭his was an opportunity to be the lead broadcaster on something I grew up watching,鈥� says Benetti, who also serves as the Detroit Tigers TV broadcaster. 鈥溾�楽unday Night Baseball鈥� games always felt like the game of the week. To be the lead announcer for something like this, it truly is the one thing that hadn鈥檛 yet happened in my career.鈥�

Benetti, who has called Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Basketball Association and college football and basketball games, dreamt of this moment ever since his agent, Kevin Belbey 鈥�13, G鈥�16, L鈥�16, and NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood broached the subject.

鈥淚 get to see a lot more of the league and get to form relationships with players and managers through 鈥楽unday Night Baseball鈥� that I like to think will help with my calling Tigers games. I’m very fortunate,鈥� says Benetti, who earned bachelor’s degrees in broadcast journalism, economics and psychology.

Finding His Calling

Benetti says from an early age he had to navigate the world differently due to how people perceived his cerebral palsy. He has a drifting eye and walks with a limp but doesn’t live with chronic pain or major health complications.

鈥淢y hurdles are because I don鈥檛 look the same as everybody,鈥� says Benetti, one of the leading advocates for those with cerebral palsy, including working with the to create a YouTube animated video series aimed at promoting awareness and inclusion.

Determined to become a sportscaster since high school, Benetti found his calling as a student broadcaster with .

鈥淲AER teaches so many marvelous things about play-by-play. I wouldn鈥檛 be where I am today without 性视界 and WAER,鈥� says Benetti, who called lacrosse and women鈥檚 basketball games for WAER.

Baseball Is the Perfect Sport for Sharing Stories

Benetti holds deep admiration for broadcasting legends like Vin Scully, Bob Costas and Ernie Harwell, who called Tigers games for 42 years.

Benetti and his broadcast team like to bring the fans into their telecasts, showing them attempting to catch a foul ball or sampling ballpark treats. Benetti will often say 鈥渕essage and data rates may apply鈥� when featuring fans, because 鈥渁nybody in the crowd can be a star, and when we show people on TV, their phones will blow up.鈥�

Honoring a Broadcasting Legend

Calling Detroit鈥檚 playoff-clinching, 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 27, 2024, stands out as Benetti鈥檚 favorite baseball broadcasting moment. He paid homage to Harwell, who said a batter 鈥渟tood there like a house by the side of the road鈥� whenever he struck out.

Benetti was listening to Harwell鈥檚 old broadcasts as the season wound down, and as Tigers players and fans celebrated, Benetti told the audience that the rest of the American League 鈥渟tood there like the house by the side of the road and let the Tigers go by.鈥�

鈥淭hat fan base hadn鈥檛 seen the team make the playoffs in a long time. There was so much joy and beauty watching the fans experience that playoff-clinching moment at Comerica Park,鈥� Benetti says of the Tigers, who earned their first playoff berth in 10 years. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful thing being able to connect history to the moment now.鈥�

, professor of public administration and international affairs in the , has received the 2026 SPAR Best Book Award (Edited Volume) from the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) for her co-edited book “Pathways to Positive Public Administration: An International Perspective” (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024).

ASPA is a professional association with approximately 10,000 members worldwide, including government officials, scholars, students and nonprofit professionals. The Section on Public Administration Research鈥檚 Best Book Award recognizes works that achieve their research goals, are well-written and make a lasting contribution to public administration literature.

“Pathways to Positive Public Administration: An International Perspective” examines trust in government and negativity bias in politics. The book advocates for a more optimistic approach to the study of government and addresses a range of practices and tools for public administration. With 27 contributions, the book calls for social, evidence-based learning in public policy.

Nabatchi is the Joseph A. Strasser Endowed Professor in Public Administration and serves as director and senior research associate for the . She is also a senior research associate for the . Her research focuses on citizen participation, collaborative governance, conflict resolution and challenges in public administration.

Her work has been recognized with multiple 性视界 University honors, including the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Teaching Recognition Award.

Story by Mikayla Melo

The Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs has again earned the No. 1 overall ranking, according to the latest . The school also remains highly ranked in 10 subspecialties, including the top ranking in public management and leadership.

鈥淭o be recognized by peers who share our dedication to public service means a great deal,鈥� says Dean David M. Van Slyke. 鈥淲hat this recognition speaks to is people鈥攆aculty who are doing research that matters and teaching with genuine commitment, staff who work every day to make sure our school achieves its mission, students whose scholarship and drive will define our future, and alumni who have taken their Maxwell foundation and done remarkable things with it. I鈥檓 grateful to our peers for seeing what we see every day.鈥�

The Best Public Affairs Schools rankings are based solely on surveys of deans, directors and department chairs representing 266 master鈥檚 programs in public affairs and public administration. Each school is numerically ranked by peer school leadership on a 5-point scale, with the average score determining the school鈥檚 overall rank. Additionally, survey respondents can nominate up to 15 schools for excellence in 12 subspecialties, with the number of nominations determining each school鈥檚 position in the ranking. This year, Maxwell shares the top ranking with Indiana University鈥檚 O鈥橬eill School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

U.S. News began ranking graduate programs in public affairs in 1995. Since then, the Maxwell School has been ranked No. 1 in every survey but one. Maxwell also ranks highly this year in the following subspecialties:

• Environmental Policy and Management
• International Global Policy and Administration
• Information and Technology Management
• Local Government Management
• Nonprofit Management
• Public Finance and Budgeting
• Public Management and Leadership
• Public Policy Analysis
• Social Policy
• Urban Policy

G鈥�01, L鈥�01, the Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor of Teaching Excellence 2024-2027 at the College of Law, has spent her career teaching at the intersection of constitutional law, disability law, human rights and international security. The Meredith Professorship has given her sustained support to pursue her focus on universal design in higher education, not as an abstract principle, she says, but as a lived challenge institutions are navigating in real time.

As part of her teaching award, she has organized a daylong symposium on April 10 at the College of Law, sponsored by multiple University partners, including the Burton Blatt Institute, Center for Disability Resources, Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, D鈥橝niello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and the College of Law鈥檚 Disability Law and Policy Program. The event will examine the transformative global impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the evolution of universal design principles in higher education.

That global lens is grounded in True-Frost’s own research. Studying accessibility law at the European Court of Human Rights, she has found that the ADA’s most significant international influence has been conceptual rather than doctrinal: the foundational idea that disability is a rights issue, not a welfare issue and that the burden of accommodation belongs to institutions rather than individuals.

True-Frost hopes the event will prompt a harder look at how higher education institutions approach accessibility.

“Inclusion is not a disability resources office problem,” she says. “It is a campuswide design challenge鈥攁nd getting it right is how we honor the promise that higher education makes to everyone who comes here seeking to grow.”

Below, True-Frost shares what she hopes students, faculty and administrators take away from the symposium.

The (BBI) at 性视界 University sponsored students from the College of Law to attend the . The annual symposium is a leading national disability law meeting, bringing together disability rights practitioners, educators and scholars to advance the civil rights of people with disabilities. The annual event honors the legacy of tenBroek, who founded the National Federation of the Blind in 1940. The theme for the 2026 symposium was 鈥淐ollaboration and Creativity: Addressing Challenges and Advancing Opportunities Now and in the Future.鈥�

The students participating in the symposium were Kaitlin Sommer and Emely Recinos, both third-year law students and co-presidents of the Disabled Law Students Association at the College of Law, sponsored by BBI, Carly Bastedo, a third-year law student and Sydney Sheffield, a first-year law student.

BBI鈥檚 goal in supporting the students was to further their shared commitment to advancing opportunity and access in the legal profession. 鈥淥ur participation at the symposium deepened our understanding of issues in disability law and helped us to build professional networks that support our careers in public interest law, policy and advocacy,” says Sommer. “I hope to attend the symposium for years to come.”

, University Professor and chairman of BBI, believes that 鈥渢he symposium enables students to engage with the broader work of BBI, which seeks to advance the civic, economic and social participation of people with disabilities through research, education and outreach.鈥�