The 32nd Annual TFAS Journalism Forum + Awards Dinner showcased leading media voices and emphasized journalism’s power to inform, inspire and strengthen a free society. TFAS honored two distinguished journalists for their unwavering commitment to truth and rigorous reporting: John Tierney, a contributing editor to City Journal and a bestselling author, and Mary Anastasia O’Grady, writer of The Wall Street Journal’s weekly “Americas” column and a member of the Journal’s editorial board. TFAS also welcomed the 2025 Robert Novak Fellows and Joseph Rago Fellows for their outstanding pursuits.
The State of Journalism: How Journalists are Navigating Challenges
Brian C. Anderson, editor of the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal, kicked off the forum by introducing the TFAS Journalism Impact Forum, a new selection of afternoon panels highlighting the accomplishments and contributions of TFAS student and alumni journalists. He reflected on the state of journalism, noting the removal of gatekeepers from traditionally liberal outlets, which has allowed space for more diverse ideas.
“There are many untold stories out there because they’ve been ignored,” Anderson said. “Keep these realities in mind. Reporting can make a difference.”
TFAS alumni Mene Ukueberuwa, Novak ’19, of The Free Press; Kate Bachelder Odell, Novak ’22, of The Wall Street Journal; and Charles F. Lehman, Novak ’23, of City Journal emphasized journalism’s evolution on a panel moderated by Anderson. Offering a candid perspective, they stressed the importance of relevant, accessible and logical journalism.
Lehman expanded on how, in today’s world, where there is less trust, it’s the responsibility of reporters to produce honest work.
“Reporters today don’t have any pre-set authority with audiences,” Lehman said. “Instead, you have to be able to show your work. Part of the virtue of the rise of citizen journalists is that anyone can do that. Anyone who can share their work will end up having influence.”
Ryan Wolfe, director of the Center for Excellence in Journalism, continued discussions with two recent Novak alumnae, Carine Hajjar Rago ’22, Novak ’24, of The Washington Post, and Audrey Fahlberg, Novak ’24, of National Review. Both reflected on their year-long projects.
Carine explained how her Lebanese heritage fueled her exploration of the country’s culture and politics. Her project revealed that the people of Lebanon are quite resilient, but their adaptability to government corruption has damaged the nation. Audrey’s project gave an overview of the figures shaping a changing Republican Party and the Trump administration. Her research and investigative reporting shaped multiple news cycles as she analyzed President Donald Trump’s leadership and the officials jockeying for position around him.
TFAS student journalists Alex Shieh, former publisher of The Brown Spectator at Brown University, Max Whalen ’24, editor-in-chief emeritus of The Cornell Review at Cornell University, and Natalia Lopez, founder and editor-in-cheif of The Florida Finibus at the University of Florida, joined Maya Sulkin, Novak ’25, of The Free Press for a discussion on how their campus journalism is driving positive change.
These students optimistically reinforced the importance of independent reporting and explained how their work has impacted their campuses and beyond. Lopez told the story of founding The Florida Finibus with the help of TFAS support, explaining her desire to find a home to publish diverse ideas.
“On campus, we’ve been able to revive the American intellectual tradition, which is our mission statement,” Lopez said. “We are getting students to not be passive citizens on campus. We’ve attracted all kinds of audiences to campus, and it’s been really wonderful to watch that grow.“
Supporting The Next Generation of Courageous Journalists
Following the panels, the 32nd Annual TFAS Journalism Awards Dinner began with the presentation of the 2025 Robert Novak Journalism Fellowships.
Inspired by Robert Novak’s contributions to journalism, the Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship Program supports a rising generation of enterprising journalists.
TFAS welcomed Emma Camp ’25 of Reason, Caroline Downey ’25 of National Review, Jordan McGillis ’25 of Economic Innovation Group, Timothy Harley Nerozzi ’25 of the Washington Examiner, Valerie Pavilonis ’25 of The Dispatch, Katelyn Walls Shelton ’25 of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, and Maya Sulkin ’25 of The Free Press as this year’s Fellows.
The evening also honored the life and legacy of Joseph Rago, a Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer for The Wall Street Journal. The Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowship for Excellence in Journalism is awarded to outstanding individuals beginning their careers in journalism.
The Rago Fellowship allows young writers to work on The Wall Street Journal Editorial Page, writing stories under their own byline and working with outside contributors from pitching to publication. The Fellowship, launched in 2018, was expanded this year to include three fellows.
The Rago program has expanded due to the generosity of TFAS supporters, including Steve Klinsky and Catherine Barr Windels. This year’s fellows are Kate Farmer, EJI ’24, Rago ’25, Cole Murphy, Rago ’25, and Suzanna Murawski, Rago ’25. They have already begun reporting on important topics on the Journal’s opinion pages.
Upon accepting her Fellowship, Kate Farmer reflected on Joseph Rago’s legacy.
“Joe encouraged journalists to not only tirelessly research their subjects, but to probe deeply into the ideas behind them — because when ideas are understood in their own right, they are truer, more complex and more interesting,” Farmer said.
Honoring Leaders in Journalism
Mary Anastasia O’Grady received the 2025 Thomas L. Phillips Career Achievement Award, presented by Pulitzer Prize finalist and her Wall Street Journal colleague, Daniel Henninger. Through her decades of courageous reporting on Latin American politics and policy, O’Grady exemplifies TFAS’s pursuit of journalistic excellence. Her dedication to fairness aligns with the TFAS mission to educate future leaders on the founding principles of a free society.
The evening closed as John Tierney received the 2025 Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Award for Courageous Journalism Excellence. Bestselling author Christopher Buckley presented the award, outlining Tierney’s monumental career moments. Tierney’s work presents the truth in critical moments and times of contention through courage and determination.
Tierney reflected on his career, thanking TFAS for supporting courageous journalists.
“I’ve been a longtime admirer of Ken Tomlinson for both his journalism career and for the legacy here at TFAS,” Tierney said. “It’s always the most inspiring evening of the year for journalists to see how much support TFAS is giving to young journalists, and it’s wonderful to see the work they’re doing.”
Supporters of The Fund for American Studies help foster the development of young, courageous journalists while upholding the principles of a free society. As Mary Anastasia O’Grady stated during her acceptance remarks, “Freedom is never fully won, but it can be fully lost. In my view, as long as TFAS is around, that’s not about to happen in this country.”
At a time when trust in journalism is eroding and free expression faces growing pressure, TFAS remains committed to training journalists who pursue truth without fear or favor. Through the Center for Excellence in Journalism, TFAS equips students and young professionals with the skills, mentorship and intellectual foundation needed to report honestly and to challenge the status quo.
TFAS is grateful to the countless supporters, alumni, faculty and friends who contribute to the success of our journalism programs. Thanks to their generous support, TFAS commits over $2 million annually to journalism fellowships, training and programs through the Center for Excellence in Journalism.
GET INVOLVED
To learn how to advance the future of honest, excellence journalism, please visit TFAS.org/support.
Applications for the 2026-27 Joseph Rago Memorial Fellowships for Excellence in Journalism are now open. Please visit TFAS.org/Rago to learn more and apply.
Tune into the Liberty + Leadership Podcast to hear highlights from TFAS Journalism Impact Forum to hear how TFAS alumni journalists are making an impact.
Watch the full awards ceremony below.