UIC alumni win Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award

Brody Ford, a 2020 UIC graduate in political science and communication, and Nicole Sroka, a 2021 UIC graduate in criminology, law and justice and communication, were among a team of 35 student-journalists from Arizona State University’s Carnegie-Knight News21 program to win the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award.

Ford, who covers politics for Bloomberg News, and Sroka, a digital and visual artist and investigative reporter who is pursuing a graduate degree in criminology, law and justice at UIC, both participated as fellows in the program where they worked on “Kids Imprisoned.” The eight-month investigation led to a detailed multimedia report on the state of the juvenile justice system in the U.S.

“Kids Imprisoned” was recognized for the best collegiate reporting in the country on social justice issues and was honored during a virtual ceremony held June 3 by the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Foundation.

Founded by the reporters who covered Robert F. Kennedy’s historic 1968 presidential campaign, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards honor outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy’s concerns, including human rights, social justice, and the power of individual action in the U.S. and around the world.