By the Investigative Desk Published: October 2026 Main Facts In an era defined by media fragmentation, declining local newsrooms, and an ever-increasing need for accountability reporting, the future of investigative journalism depends heavily on the deliberate cultivation of new talent. To address this critical challenge, ProPublica has officially announced its 2026 class for the prestigious Emerging Reporters Program. Designed to bridge the gap between academic instruction and high-stakes newsroom reporting, the program provides comprehensive support, specialized training, and mentorship to exceptional college students who are actively pursuing careers in investigative journalism. The initiative targets aspiring journalists who possess a demonstrable passion for exposing abuses of power, holding institutions accountable, and producing impactful stories with moral force that provoke systemic change. The 2026 cohort brings together five exceptional student journalists hailing from universities across Illinois, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, and New York. Each participant selected for the program receives a transformative package of resources, including: A $9,000 financial stipend to offset living expenses and reduce the burden of unpaid internships. An all-expenses-paid trip to the annual NICAR (National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting) investigative journalism conference. Specialized training sessions, technical workshops, and regular presentations by industry-leading speakers. A dedicated one-on-one mentorship pairing with veteran ProPublica journalists who offer editorial guidance, career counseling, and professional networking opportunities. By removing financial barriers and pairing fellows directly with seasoned investigative reporters, ProPublica aims to ensure that the next generation of watchdogs reflects a diverse array of backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences. Chronology: The Evolution of ProPublica’s Talent Pipeline The launch of the 2026 Emerging Reporters class marks another milestone in a long-standing commitment by ProPublica to foster early-career investigative talent. Understanding how the program has evolved underscores its vital role in modern journalism: Foundational Years: Recognizing that traditional journalism school curricula often lack deep dives into computer-assisted reporting, data journalism, and long-form accountability projects, ProPublica established its mentorship initiatives to provide specialized, hands-on training that mirrors real-world newsroom pressures. Expanding Networks: Over the past decade, the program has steadily expanded its reach, partnering with campus newspapers, public media student newsrooms, and regional reporting projects to identify students who show early dedication to the craft—particularly those navigating unpaid internships or resource-constrained local media environments. Proven Track Record: The success of the Emerging Reporters Program is measured by the trajectories of its alumni. Past participants have graduated to prominent roles at national and regional outlets, including The New York Times, The Associated Press, Fresnoland, Capital B, and The Tributary. The 2026 Cohort Selection: Following a rigorous review process focusing on demonstrated reporting grit, campus leadership, and investigative drive, ProPublica selected five seniors representing a geographic and institutional cross-section of the United States. This current class represents the vanguard of a new wave of reporters dedicated to public interest journalism. Supporting Data: Demographics and Institutional Impact While the fellowship is small by design to ensure intensive, individualized mentorship, its impact ripples across the broader journalistic ecosystem. An analysis of the 2026 cohort highlights the diverse academic roots and rigorous professional training these students already bring to the table: Geographic Reach: The five fellows attend universities spanning five distinct states: the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (Illinois); the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (Nebraska); Rice University (Texas); Grinnell College (Iowa); and Columbia University (New York). Leadership Roles: Every member of the 2026 class holds or has held a top leadership position within their respective campus media organizations, ranging from editor-in-chief to managing editor and arts and entertainment editor. Professional Milestones: Before entering the program, the 2026 fellows have collectively completed prestigious internships and fellowships at prominent newsrooms across the country, including CNN’s criminal justice team, NPR’s Midwest Newsroom, The Nation, The Boston Globe, VTDigger, St. Louis Public Radio, and the Houston Chronicle editorial board. Multilingual and Multidisciplinary Strengths: The cohort reflects modern multi-platform journalism needs, featuring reporters skilled in data visualization, audio storytelling, print, and video, as well as multilingual capabilities (including fluency across three languages) designed to bridge language barriers in underrepresented communities. Official Responses and Perspectives on the Program Leadership and mentors at ProPublica emphasize that the selection criteria go beyond traditional academic accolades. When evaluating candidates, the selection committee looks for a demonstrated early commitment to reporting—whether through campus publications, local newsrooms, or alternative paths for students who lacked access to traditional, unpaid coastal internships. "Our goal is to encourage the next generation of journalists who seek to shine a light on abuses of power and produce stories with moral force that provoke change," program organizers noted in a statement detailing the selection philosophy. Past mentors have consistently praised the program for demystifying investigative journalism. By exposing students to the varied, often non-linear paths that investigative careers can take, the mentorship pairing helps young reporters navigate the psychological and technical hurdles of deep-dive reporting. Fellows gain direct access to industry leaders who can help them vet sensitive document requests, clean complex data sets, and handle pushback from powerful institutions under investigation. Implications for the Future of Investigative Journalism The introduction of the 2026 Emerging Reporters class arrives at a critical juncture for the news industry. As legacy commercial newsrooms face contraction and local "news deserts" spread across the American landscape, the demand for rigorous, independent accountability reporting has never been higher. Programs like ProPublica’s serve as a vital life raft for the profession. By providing financial stability through the $9,000 stipend, the fellowship helps democratize access to elite investigative training, ensuring that financial necessity does not force talented working-class students out of the industry. Furthermore, by focusing mentorship on systemic issues—such as the criminal justice system, environmental racism, healthcare accountability, and marginalized communities—the program directly shapes the investigative agenda of tomorrow. Meet the 2026 ProPublica Emerging Reporters Class Annisyn Krebs-Carr (she/her) University: University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Major: Journalism and Animal Sciences (Senior) Annisyn Krebs-Carr serves as the managing editor of The Daily Illini, overseeing content production across the independent student newspaper, and reports for the Illinois Public Media Student Newsroom on the ongoing housing crisis in Champaign-Urbana. In 2026, she interned for St. Louis Public Radio, where she forged relationships with investigative reporters at NPR’s Midwest Newsroom, deepening her commitment to investigative work. Her future reporting aims to center on the systemic failures of the criminal justice system regarding Black communities and the impacts of environmental racism on lower-income populations. Long-term, she aspires to build a dedicated career as an investigative journalist within public media. Jessica Meza (she/her) University: University of Nebraska, Lincoln Major: Journalism, Advertising, and Public Relations (Senior) A versatile multi-platform journalist, Jessica Meza works across data visualization, video, print, and social media, with a primary emphasis on audio reporting. Currently a reporting intern at Nebraska Public Media, Jessica has previously interned at NPR’s Midwest Newsroom and written for The Fulcrum and the Latino News Network as a Hortencia Zavala Foundation intern. In 2025, she earned a regional Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award as part of the Nebraska News Service team investigating missing and murdered marginalized women. She intends to dedicate her career to amplifying voices facing hidden injustices, with a focus on housing, immigration, and food security. Lajward Zahra (she/her) University: Rice University Major: English (Senior, originally from El Paso, Texas) Lajward Zahra focuses her reporting on politics, immigration, and environmental issues, particularly within her home state of Texas. A 2025 writing fellow at The Nation (where she has written since 2023), Lajward previously interned with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, covering local and state politics, including the Texas Republican Party convention. Her extensive freelance portfolio includes bylines in The American Prospect, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, Rewire News Group, and Scalawag. She was also named a 2024 Asian American Journalists Association Voices fellow. Thai Theodoro (she/her) University: Grinnell College Major: Political Science with a concentration in Latin American Studies (Senior, originally from Brazil) Thai Theodoro serves as the managing editor of The Scarlet & Black, Grinnell’s independent student newspaper. Her professional experience includes competitive reporting internships at The Boston Globe, the Des Moines Register, and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with work published in dozens of newspapers nationwide. A member of the New York Times Corps and a former participant in the National Association of Hispanic Journalists’ Student Project, Thai speaks three languages. She leverages her multilingual background to reach underrepresented communities and is passionate about pursuing investigative reporting that challenges the status quo. Tsehai Alfred (she/her) University: Columbia University Major: English (Senior) Tsehai Alfred serves as the 150th editor-in-chief and president of the Columbia Daily Spectator and works as an intern on CNN’s criminal justice team. Over the past year, her investigative chops were tested during a Dow Jones News Fund internship at Vermont accountability newsroom VTDigger, where she investigated the troubled integration of AI into healthcare, the struggles of the dairy farming industry, and soaring police use-of-force payouts. Her impressive resume also includes reporting stints at City & State New York (covering the 2025 mayoral race), PBS News as a Gwen Ifill Journalism Fellow, and her local outlet, the Virgin Islands Consortium. Her core reporting interests include local government accountability, economic inequality, and corporate malfeasance. Post navigation Anatomy of Regulatory Capture: How Oklahoma Regulators Let a Major Oil Firm Evade Accountability for Toxic Wastewater Spills
