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April 30, 2025 — IRE is going back to school! With the pressing need for high-quality investigative journalism today, Investigative Reporters and Editors is expanding efforts to nurture a new generation of watchdog reporters.
A pilot program of IRE student chapters is in place across the country. The goal is to introduce more students to the organization and bring investigative training to college campuses.
Within just a few months of launching, there are now IRE student chapters at Boston University, Arizona State University, Northwestern University and the City University of New York’s Newmark Graduate School of Journalism — with more in the works.
Chapter meetings serve as a chance for students to gather, network and learn about investigative journalism topics, from how to FOIA records to finding your place in the industry. Guest speakers have included some of the best journalists in the field — Jason Leopold from Bloomberg; Walter Robinson, Matt Carroll, Stephen Kurkjian, Patricia Wen from the Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team; and veteran New York journalist Tom Robbins.
“What stood out in all these conversations is how investigative reporting demands creativity and persistence. When the trail goes cold, how do you keep digging? That's the kind of thinking we hope to inspire,” said Cherry Salazar, president of CUNY’s IRE student chapter.
This initiative, led by longtime IRE members on our Academic Task Force, reflects a significant interest in investigative journalism on college campuses. Students and educators make up about 25% of IRE’s membership. IRE’s last major event, the NICAR Conference in Minneapolis, hosted about 1,000 attendees, with nearly one-third being students.
“Students and professors play a crucial part in the organization,” said IRE Board Member and CUNY chapter advisor Andrew Lehren. “They are on IRE conference panels. They are part of our meetups in cities across the country. Their outstanding work is recognized each year in the IRE Awards.”
This year’s winners in the Student (Large) category were reporters at the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Boston University. Their months-long investigation shows how — despite reforms — lobbyists fund travel for U.S. House of Representatives and their staffs.
CUNY’s NYCity News Service was recognized as a finalist for their reporting exposing deaths and injuries in poorly regulated daycares, as well as wage theft in daycare centers in New York and nationally.
“Student” journalism has been a vital voice on college campuses for years. Northwestern’s Medill Local News Initiative recently wrote about how college students are filling coverage gaps in communities where newspapers are struggling. The University of Vermont's Center for Community News has undertaken great efforts to support college journalists in this effort.
From The Independent Florida Alligator's investigation into the university president's finances to the Daily Northwestern's exposé on hazing in the football program (just to name a few examples), students across the country are producing great work and proving you don’t need to wait for graduation to start your investigative career.
Another key aspect of IRE’s student chapters is offering mentorship from experienced investigative journalists, Lehren said.
“These efforts are all part of the ways that IRE works to teach student journalists real-world skills from top investigative reporters so they will be better prepared for their careers when they graduate.”
Students can join IRE for $25/year. In addition to our conferences, student members have access to thousands of tipsheets and free webinars throughout the year, opportunities to attend regional workshops and bootcamps, and a community of nearly 5,000 journalists to lean on for support.
IRE also has a mentorship program with Journalism Mentors, so you can connect with IRE members to get advice on investigative journalism or navigating the media industry.
The IRE Academic Task Force includes: Jodie Fleischer (chair), Andy Lehren, Mark Greenblatt and Maggie Mulvihill (subcommittee co-chair).
About IRE: Investigative Reporters and Editors is a grassroots nonprofit organization providing training, resources and a community of support to thousands of journalists around the world. Membership is open to journalists, educators and students. Learn more about membership requirements here.
Interested in sponsoring a student member? Follow this link.
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