Morris became the first student in Temple history to capture a national Hearst Championship title, earning top honors in television news reporting.

For Lauren Morris, KLN ’26, the moment still feels surreal.

Just weeks after graduating from Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication, Morris traveled to San Francisco to compete against some of the nation’s top student journalists in the 66th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program. Days later, she walked away with a first-place prize in the Television News competition, becoming the first student in Temple’s history to win a national Hearst Championship title.

“It’s still crazy to me,” Morris said. “I went not thinking or knowing that I’d leave with such a great experience, but it was truly life changing.”

Throughout her time at Temple, Morris built an impressive portfolio of journalism experience. She served in multiple reporting and production roles, worked as an anchor and reporter for Temple Update; completed internships; and earned recognition from organizations including the National Association of Black Journalists, the Washington Media Scholars Foundation and the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System.

In 2025, she received the Trudy Haynes Scholarship from CBS3 Philadelphia and earned a Mid-Atlantic Student Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for Best Talent in News and Sports Reporting. She also delivered the Klein College student Commencement address this spring.

Those experiences helped prepare Morris for one of the most prestigious competitions in student journalism

Often referred to as the “Pulitzers of collegiate journalism,” the Hearst Journalism Awards recognize excellence among journalism students from colleges and universities across the country. More than 1,300 entries were submitted this year across five disciplines: writing, photojournalism, audio, television and multimedia.

Morris earned her place in the championship after placing fifth and eighth in earlier Hearst competitions during the academic year. Those finishes gave her enough cumulative points to advance to the championship round, where five finalists competed in the television category.

The challenge was unlike a traditional journalism contest. Finalists were given a reporting prompt—in this year's case, artificial intelligence—and tasked with producing an original news package under a tight deadline.

“We got the prompt a week before, and then when we got to the actual championship, we had two days to report, shoot, write and edit the story,” Morris said. “It was very similar to the work I did at Temple Update, so everything I learned at Temple prepared me for that moment.”

Morris’ winning story examined how artificial intelligence is helping people with visual impairments navigate the world more independently through emerging technology.

“Because my piece was about disabilities, specifically low-vision and blind people being able to see through an app powered by AI, it was a very visual story,” she said. “I had to make sure the visuals matched the narrative.”

The first-place finish came with a $10,000 prize for Morris and an additional $10,000 award for Temple.

For Morris, however, the recognition represents more than a financial reward.

After first entering the Hearst competition as a junior and failing to place, she returned as a senior and steadily climbed the rankings before ultimately winning the national championship.

“I didn’t like placing fifth and eighth,” Morris said with a laugh. “I was grateful, but I wanted to keep pushing myself. I never expected to advance to the finals, let alone win it.”

Morris recently began her professional journalism career at 13News Now in Norfolk, Virginia. Looking back, she sees the Hearst victory as a fitting conclusion to her Temple chapter and a launching point for what comes next.

“This was really the close of my chapter at Temple,” Morris said. “Because I was able to finish it off so well, I feel like I can really grow in my professional endeavors. I’m grateful to my professors, grateful to the school and grateful for the opportunity because it opened doors for my future.”

The experience also connected Morris with journalism leaders from across the country, expanding her professional network and reinforcing the value of the work she has spent years developing.

“There were industry professionals who knew my professors and knew the school,” she said. “People were telling me, ‘We’ll be looking out for you.’ I never thought opportunities like that would happen. It showed me what’s possible.”

For Temple, Morris’ victory marks a historic milestone. For Morris, it is validation that years of reporting, producing and storytelling have prepared her for the next stage of her career.

While the championship closed her Temple chapter, it also signaled the start of a promising professional journey.