SDSU alumnus selected as Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow

Jacob Boyko, a 2023 graduate from the South Dakota State University School of Communication and Journalism, has been selected as a Pulitzer Center Reporting Fellow.

Boyko joins a cohort of 44 fellows and adds to the exclusive list of SDSU students selected for this competitive fellowship.

Pulitzer Center reporting fellows “pursue independent journalism projects that cover a wide range of issues in countries around the world and in the United States, including climate change, migration and refugees, global health, race, identity and human rights. Reporting fellows benefit from Pulitzer Center mentorship, networking opportunities and journalism resources.”

Each fellow is paired with a grantee adviser with expertise in the fellow’s area of interest or research destination. The work produced by reporting fellows are featured in multiple areas, including the Pulitzer Center website and news outlets such as The New York Times, Politico, NPR and The Guardian.

Originally from Madison, Boyko graduated from SDSU with a degree in journalism with minors in social media and political science. While on campus, he was a news editor for The Collegian, the student-run newspaper for the university.

Boyko said he was ecstatic when he received news of the fellowship. “Being a reporting fellow means I'm connected to a network of very strong journalists and will have guidance and support for the rest of my career,” he said.

Boyko will travel to Buenos Aires in August to report on the city's water crisis. “My family traveled to Argentina and Uruguay last Christmas after COVID-19 era restrictions were relaxed,” he explained. “Our tour guide, a very knowledgeable lady named Joy, explained some of the social issues and environmental issues affecting Buenos Aires. One issue that caught my attention was the heavy pollution in the main waterway and how little the government is doing to clean it up.”

He plans to highlight the endangered health of residents from the polluted water and focus on some of the city's potential solutions.

Jim Helland, instructor, student media adviser and internship coordinator in the School of Communication and Journalism, said Boyko does not shy away from challenging stories.

“Traveling to Buenos Aires and reporting on that city’s water crisis will be a lot of work—the travel, learning the ins and outs of another country, then reporting on the main topic itself. It won’t be easy, but I know this kind of an assignment is just the kind of challenge Jacob likes,” Helland said.

In terms of qualities and reporting skills, Helland said Boyko is always eager to learn more and improve.

“Jacob has the one of the most important qualities you must have to be a good reporter—he’s curious. He wonders how things work, why people do what they do and what’s next …. It helps him formulate interesting story ideas and conduct effective interviews with sources. And those are the foundations to good stories,” Helland said.

Following his trip and report, Boyko has an internship at South Dakota News Watch waiting for him.