COM alumni and current faculty have been awarded a collected two dozen Pulitzer Prizes, journalism’s top honor, for in-depth investigations, war-zone photography and explanatory reporting.
Current Faculty
Michael Holley, COM associate professor of the practice
Awarded for: Its broad examination of local racial attitudes and its subsequent effort to promote improved communication in the community (shared).
Year: 1994
Outlet: Akron Beacon-Journal
Greg Marinovich, COM lecturer
Awarded for: Spot News Photography in 1991 for his coverage of a brutal murder by African National Congress supporters
Year Won: 1991
Alumni
Thomas Fiedler (’71)
Awarded for: Stories profiling a local cult leader, his followers, and their links to several area murders (shared).
Year Won: 1991
Outlet: Miami Herald
Awarded for: Coverage of Hurricane Andrew (shared).
Year: 1993
Outlet: Miami Herald
Ethan Forman (’93)
Awarded For: Its detailed, well-crafted stories on the accidental drowning of four boys in the Merrimack River (shared).
Year Won: 2003
Outlet: The Eagle-Tribune
Press: Pulitzer.org
Daniel Goodrich (’75)
Awarded For: Photography related to crash of TWA Flight 800
Year Won: 1997
Outlet: Newsday
Stan Grossfeld (MS’80)
Awarded For (1): His series of unusual photographs which reveal the effects of war on the people of Lebanon; in Spot News Photography
Year Won: 1984
Awarded For: (2): His images of starvation in Ethiopia and illegal aliens on the border of Mexico.
Year Won: 1985
Press: Bostonglobe.com, Pulitzer.org
Joseph Hallinan (’84)
Awarded For: Investigation of medical malpractice system in Indiana
Year Won: 1991
Outlet: The Indianapolis Star
Press: news.vanderbilt.edu, Pulitzer.org
Tyler Hicks (’92)
Awarded For: Photographs that captured the resolve of refugees, the perils of their journeys and the struggle of host countries to take them in.
Year: 2016
Awarded For: Compelling pictures that showed skill and bravery in documenting the unfolding terrorist attack at Westgate mall in Kenya.
Year: 2014
Awarded For: International reporting from Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Year: 2009
Kimbriell Kelly (’98)
Awarded For: Contributed to Washington Post series that explored killings by police officers in 2015 (shared).
Year won: 2016
Outlet: Washington Post
Justin Lane (’95)
Awarded For: Consistently outstanding photographic coverage of the terrorist attack on New York City and its aftermath.
Year Won: 2002
Patricia Maldonado (’91)
Awarded For: Its detailed reporting that revealed pervasive voter fraud in a city mayoral election, that was subsequently overturned.
Year Won: 1999
Press: Pulitzer.org
Gerard O’Neill (’70)
Awarded For: Their exposure of widespread corruption in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Year Won: 1972 — the first BU alumnus to receive the Pulitzer Prize in journalism
Press: Pulitzer.org
Jessica Rinaldi (’01)
Awarded For: Feature photography for “The Life and Times of Strider Wolf,” a kindergartner born to poverty in rural Maine and nearly beaten to death at age two by his mother’s boyfriend.
Year: 2016
Mark Thompson (’75)
Awarded For: For reporting which revealed that nearly 250 U.S. servicemen had lost their lives as a result of a design problem in helicopters built by Bell Helicopter– a revelation which ultimately led the Army to ground almost 600 Huey helicopters pending their modification.
Year Won: 1985
Press: Pulitzer.org
Helen Ubinas (’94)
Awarded For: Its clear and detailed coverage of a shooting rampage in which a state lottery worker killed four supervisors then himself.
Press: Pulitzer.org
Don Van Natta Jr. (’86)
Awarded For (1): For a series of articles that disclosed the corporate sale of American technology to China, with U.S. government approval despite national security risks, prompting investigations and significant changes in policy (shared).
Year Won: 1999
Outlet: The New York Times
Press: Pulitzer.org
Awarded For (2): For its informed and detailed reporting, before and after the September 11th attacks on America, that profiled the global terrorism network and the threats it posed (shared).
Year Won: 2002
Press: Pulitzer.org
Outlet: The New York Times
Joan Vennochi (’75)
Project Title: For articles on Boston’s transit system.
Year Won: 1980
Outlet: Boston Globe
Press: Pulitzer.org
Susan Walsh (’87)
Project Title: For its striking collection of photographs of the key players and events stemming from President Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky and the ensuing impeachment hearings.
Year: 1999
Press: Pulitzer.org
Meredith Warren (’01)
Project Title: For its detailed, well-crafted stories on the accidental drowning of four boys in the Merrimack River.
Year: 2003
Press: Pulitzer.org
Alexandra Wimley (’17)
Awarded For: Its coverage of the shooting deaths of 11 people and the wounding of seven others Oct. 27 at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill.
Year: 2019
Outlet: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Honorary Degree Recipients
Karen Elliott House (’03 Honorary Degree)
Awarded For: Her extraordinary series of interviews with Jordan’s King Hussein which correctly anticipated the problems that would confront the Reagan administration’s Middle East peace plan. While at The Wall Street Journal in international reporting
Year Won: 1984
Press: Pulitzer.org
George F. Will (’03 Honorary Degree)
Awarded for: Distinguished commentary on a variety of topics.
Year: 1977
Press: Pulitzer.org