BLOOMINGTON – An award-winning ESPN journalist will headline the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism Symposium on Feb. 23.
ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne will deliver the keynote address at 5 p.m. in Presidents Hall in Franklin Hall at The Media School at Indiana University. Her speech will conclude an afternoon-long symposium featuring award-winning journalists from ProPublica, ESPN, Investigate TV, USA Today, Capital Chronicle and Capital B.
“I am excited the Arnolt Center will again welcome seven of the best investigative journalists in the country to Indiana University,” Arnolt Center Director Kathleen Johnston said. “The center’s mission is to train the next generation of investigative journalism while reporting on issues affecting Hoosiers alongside leading media professional. The annual symposium offers students and the public a chance to hear from some of the best in the business and speak with them one-on-one.”
“We also invite faculty and staff across campus as well as the public to join us as we shine a spotlight on the importance of investigative reporting,” she added.
Lavigne joined ESPN in 2018 and her work has focused on sexual assault and other crimes involving athletes, bribery in college basketball, illegal gambling, fraud, fan safety and athlete medical care, according to ESPN. Her work has won a George Foster Peabody Award for in exposes on sexual assault and misconduct at Michigan State University, an Alfred I. duPont Award for an investigation into a youth football gambling ring, numerous Investigative Reporters and Editors awards, Emmys, New York International TV and Film Awards and a Gracie.
Paula Lavigne (Courtesy of ESPN)
Lavigne coauthored “Violated: Exposing Rape at Baylor University Amid College Football’s Sexual Assault Crisis” with ESPN senior writer Mark Schlabach in 2017.
She previously worked at the Des Moines Register, the Dallas Morning News and the News-Tribune in Tacoma, Washington.
Two afternoon panels will include:
“Investigative Journalism in Sports,” at 1:45 p.m.:
- Jill Riepenhoff, Investigate TV/ Gray Television
- Steve Berkowitz, USA Today
- T.J. Quinn, ESPN
- Moderator: Mike Wells, Indiana University
“Emerging Models of Investigative Journalism” at 3:15 p.m.:
- George Papajohn, ProPublica
- Akoto Ofori-Atta, Capital B
- Niki Kelly, Indiana Capital Chronicle
- Moderator: Sara Sidner, CNN
The panels and keynote address are free and open to all students, faculty, staff, Indiana journalists and the general public.
Full program details and speakers’ biographies are available on the Arnolt Center’s website.
For people unable to attend in person the panels and keynote address will be streamed online: https://broadcast.iu.edu/events/investigative-journalism-symposium-2023.html
The symposium is sponsored by the Scripps-Howard Foundation, the Lumina Foundation, the Hoosier State Press Association Foundation, The Indiana Citizen, the Indiana Local News Initiative, the Indiana Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Indiana Broadcasters Association, Hutton Honors College and Gray Television/ InvestigateTV and held in partnership with the Bloomington Press Club, the Limestone Post, the Indianapolis Star, the Indiana Chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Black Journalists Indiana University Bloomington Chapter, the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, Indiana Capital Chronicle, the National Sports Journalism Center and The Media School at Indiana University.
The nonprofit, nonpartisan Arnolt Center conducts multimedia investigative reporting on issues of importance to the residents of Indiana, including matters that reach beyond the state’s borders. The center’s work is available at no cost to local, regional and national news outlets and seeks to supplement their reporting at a time when many are losing newsroom staff.
Initially funded by a $6 million gift from alumnus Michael Arnolt, the center is editorially independent from Indiana University and The Media School.
