Ball State Professor Wins Prestigious National Journalism Teaching Award

A journalism professor at Ball State University has earned one of the highest recognitions in journalism education, highlighting the growing importance of hands-on, community-driven learning in media schools across the United States.

Adam Kuban was named Teacher of the Year by the Scripps Howard Fund as part of the 73rd Scripps Howard Journalism Awards. He received the prestigious Charles E. Scripps Award for Journalism Teacher of the Year, a national honour that recognises excellence in journalism education and student mentorship.

The recognition places Kuban among a select group of educators shaping the next generation of journalists through immersive and community-engaged storytelling projects. He is only the second faculty member from Ball State University to receive the award, following Jennifer Palilonis, who won the distinction in 2012.

Kuban, who has been part of Ball State’s faculty since 2011, is widely known for integrating real-world journalism experiences into classroom learning. Over the years, he has guided students in producing documentaries, books, magazines, digital platforms and multimedia storytelling projects focused on issues ranging from science communication to sports journalism.

Speaking after the announcement, Kuban described the recognition as both humbling and motivating. He said journalism education plays a critical role in helping students understand truth, accountability and their responsibility as future media professionals.

His work has particularly stood out for connecting journalism with public-interest storytelling. One of his most recognised initiatives is Water Quality Indiana, an interdisciplinary project combining journalism and science education to examine local and global water issues. Student documentaries produced under the programme received two regional Emmy nominations and four Aurora GOLD Awards.

Beyond classrooms, Kuban has collaborated with organisations such as USA Volleyball and The Facing Project, giving students opportunities to work on professional-level storytelling assignments with real audiences and community impact.

Former student Casey Smith said Kuban’s teaching extended far beyond academics, describing him as a mentor who helped shape careers through practical reporting opportunities and an emphasis on public service journalism.

The award also reflects a broader shift within journalism education, where universities are increasingly prioritising experiential learning, multimedia storytelling and industry-linked reporting experiences over traditional lecture-based instruction alone.

Kuban holds a doctorate in communication from the University of Utah and both his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Iowa State University. During his academic career, he has taught more than 2,200 students and received multiple honours for teaching excellence, immersive learning and community engagement.