FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, October 10, 2025 

PRESS CONTACT: Jai-Leen James  info@wabjdc.org

Washington, D.C. — Today, the Washington Association of Black Journalists announced that Jasper Smith, reporter for The Chronicle of Higher Education, is the recipient of the 2025 WABJ Young Journalist of Excellence Award. This award recognizes a Washington D.C. area Black journalist age 35 or under who has produced a distinguished body of work and is committed to the mission of WABJ.

Smith will be honored at the WABJ 4th Annual Special Honors & Scholarship Gala on Saturday, Nov. 8 at the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. Tickets for the gala can be purchased here.

Smith writes about how race shapes college campuses, from the dismantling of DEI initiatives to the enrollment boom at historically Black colleges. Her investigative reporting on a Tennessee HBCU was recognized by the Education Writers Association for its “deeply researched and well sourced” writing. Previously, as editor-in-chief of The Hilltop at Howard University, she launched the first investigative reporting section on a historically Black college newspaper, earning consecutive awards from the Society of Professional Journalists.

“Winning the Young Journalist of the Year Award is an incredible honor,” said Smith. “This award serves as a reminder of what is possible when young Black journalists are given space to lead coverage with rigor, a dedication to truth, and a hunger for finding stories that upend traditional narratives.”

“Jasper Smith represents the bright future of journalism,” said WABJ President Phil Lewis. “Her deeply researched, historically informed reporting demonstrates the power of rigorous journalism to illuminate critical issues.”

The awards gala is a fundraiser to support WABJ scholarships, year-round professional development programming, and the organization’s long-running Urban Journalism Workshop for D.C. area high school students, which is now in its 39th year.

WABJ congratulates Smith on this well-deserved honor.

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Founded in 1975, the Washington Association of Black Journalists is an organization of Black journalists, educators, public relations professionals and student journalists in the Washington, D.C., metro area. WABJ provides members with ongoing professional development opportunities and advocates for newsroom diversity, equity and inclusion. For more information, please visit www.wabjdc.org.