Pulitzer Prize Winners from the SOJC

What can real-world learning with pioneers in the field do for your career? Just ask these Pulitzer Prize winners. The SOJC propels students to new heights of career achievement, and our faculty and alumni have 15 Pulitzers to show for it. Ready to follow in the footsteps of some of the finest minds in journalism?

Byron Acohido '77

Beat Reporting, 1997
Acohido's Seattle Times investigation of rudder control problems on the Boeing 737 helped fuel new safety requirements for the aerospace industry.

Tonya Alanez '03

Public Service, 2019
A longtime staff writer for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Alanez wrote three of the articles in the series that earned the paper's Pulitzer for exposing school and law enforcement officials' failings before and after the deadly shooting rampage at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Rick Attig '83 and Doug Bates '68

Public Service, 2001
The Oregonian's unflinching examination of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service's widespread abuses and harsh treatment of foreign nationals served as a catalyst for reform.

Editorial Writing, 2006
Attig and Bates's richly reported editorials for The Oregonian exposed abuses inside a forgotten Oregon mental hospital.

Michelle Theriault Boots, '09

Public Service, 2020
Theriault Boots covers news and features for the Anchorage Daily News and was part of their prize-winning partnership with ProPublica.

Kathleen "Katie" Campbell, '08

Public Service, 2020
As a member of ProPublica, Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning filmmaker and journalist, Campbell partnered with the Anchorage Daily News for their prize-winning work.

MacGregor Campbell, '17, Adjunct Instructor

Public Service, 2020
Emmy and Edward R. Murrow award-winning visual journalist, and SOJC Adjunct Instructor, Campbell contributed to ProPublica's prize-winning work.

Steve Dykes '82

Spot News Reporting, 1993
Violence and intense deadline pressure didn't stop the Los Angeles Times from producing balanced, penetrating coverage of the second-most destructive day of the Los Angeles riots.

Spot News Reporting, 1995
Through chaos and devastation, the Los Angeles Times staff chronicled the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake.

Breaking News Reporting, 2000
As photo editor, Dykes helped the Denver Post provide clear and balanced coverage of the student massacre at Columbine High School.

Paul Gullixson ’82

Breaking News, 2018
Evacuated from his home during the 2017 Tubbs Fire in Northern California, The Press Democrat’s editorial director slept in the office for five nights while contributing to the newspaper’s award-winning wildfire coverage.

Drex Heikes '75

Spot News Reporting, 1993
Violence and intense deadline pressure didn't stop the Los Angeles Times from producing balanced, penetrating coverage of the second-most destructive day of the Los Angeles riots.

Spot News Reporting, 1995
Through chaos and devastation, the Los Angeles Times staff chronicled the aftermath of the Northridge earthquake.

Public Service, 2009
The Las Vegas Sun exposed the truth behind the high death rate among construction workers on the Las Vegas Strip, provoking policy changes and safer workplaces.

Ted Natt '63

Local General Spot News Reporting, 1981
The Longview Daily News helped make history with its coverage of the 1981 Mt. St. Helens eruption, including Roger A. Werth's iconic photographs.

Michael Richmond '62

Local General Spot News Reporting, 1979
When a Pacific Southwest airliner collided with a small plane above the city, the San Diego Evening Tribune documented the impact.

Karen Stallwood '86

International Reporting, 1994
Stallwood's team at the Dallas Morning News put global violence against women under the microscope.

Alex Tizon '84

Investigative Reporting, 1997
The Seattle Times investigation of widespread corruption and inequities in the federally sponsored housing program for Native Americans inspired much-needed reforms.

Brent Walth '84, Assistant Professor of Journalism

Public Service, 2001
The Oregonian's unflinching examination of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service's widespread abuses and harsh treatment of foreign nationals served as a catalyst for reform.

Rebecca Woolington '09

Investigative Journalism, 2022
The Tampa Bay Times's compelling exposé of highly toxic hazards inside Florida’s only battery recycling plant forced the implementation of safety measures to adequately protect workers and nearby residents.