Current students and alumni from Florida International University's Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media were among those recognized and represented at the 7th annual Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards, where they joined Pulitzer Prize winners, investigative reporters, editors and newsroom leaders for an evening celebrating excellence in investigative journalism.
Facilitated by the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media and held at FIU's Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center through the support of FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts (CARTA), the event brought together some of South Florida's most respected journalists and media professionals. For Caplin students in attendance, the evening provided an opportunity to connect with industry leaders, hear from award-winning journalists and see FIU alumni recognized for their work.
Founded by the Esserman family and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Esserman-Knight Journalism Awards recognize outstanding investigative and public service reporting throughout South Florida.
"The Esserman-Knight Awards recognizes the best investigative reporting in South Florida at this crucial moment when dogged watchdog reporting is more important than ever," said Manny García, inaugural Knight Foundation executive director of the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media. "The Esserman family has long championed South Florida, and their support for the investigative craft reinforces their commitment to recognizing journalism that serves the public good."
García said bringing the event to FIU gave students the opportunity to engage with accomplished journalists while witnessing firsthand the impact investigative reporting has on communities across South Florida.
Several FIU alumni were recognized during the awards ceremony, highlighting the school's continued presence in South Florida newsrooms.
Daniel Rivero, an FIU graduate and investigative reporter at WLRN, was part of the reporting team that received the evening's top honor for "Killer Train: A Hidden Death Toll and Unchecked Risks on Brightline's Tracks." The yearlong investigation, produced in collaboration with the Miami Herald, examined safety concerns surrounding Brightline and earned first place for its investigative reporting.
Amelia Orjuela Da Silva, an FIU digital journalism graduate and staff writer at The Miami Times, received an honorable mention for "Four Years Later, Has Miami Gardens' $5M F1 Deal Delivered for Residents?" The story examined the spending and community impact of Miami Gardens' Formula One Community Benefits Package.
Natalie La Roche Pietri, an FIU journalism graduate and education reporter at WLRN, was named a finalist for "Lost in the System: Disabled Students Undermined by Florida's Voucher Expansion," which investigated how Florida's school voucher expansion affected students with disabilities.
"One of the things I value most about my time at FIU is having mentors who saw my strengths even when I didn't always see them myself," La Roche Pietri said. "They pushed me to grow as both a reporter, and a writer and that gave me the confidence to keep going through one of the hardest stories I've worked on. They reminded me that if you have a gut feeling there's a story, you just have to find the facts to back it up."
The evening also honored Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K. Brown with the 2026 Alberto Ibargüen Excellence in Journalism Award. Brown's work was recognized this spring with a special Pulitzer citation.
The event drew an influential audience from across South Florida's journalism community, including Alberto Ibargüen, former publisher of the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald and former president and CEO of the Knight Foundation; Amalie Nash, vice president of journalism at Knight Foundation; Natalia Gonzalez, journalism officer at Knight Foundation; Tere Negrete, senior director of Press Forward South Florida at The Miami Foundation and an FIU graduate; Amy Driscoll, Miami Herald editorial page editor and Pulitzer Prize winner; Mirta Ojito, head of standards and ethics at Telemundo; Sergio Bustos, vice president of content at WLRN; and Lianna Saldaña, executive producer of planning and politics for NBC6 and Telemundo 51, who helped bring Caplin students' affordable housing reporting project to audiences across South Florida through a collaboration with NBC6, Telemundo 51, WLRN and the Miami Herald.
Beyond celebrating investigative reporting, the event reinforced the value of exposing students to journalism at its highest level.
"The Knight Esserman Awards celebrate the highest ideals of journalism—truth, accountability and service to the public," said Brian Schriner, dean of FIU's College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts. "Hosting this event at FIU in conjunction with our Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media provided our students with a unique opportunity to engage directly with some of the profession's most accomplished journalists and to see firsthand the impact that quality local journalism has on our communities. These experiences reinforce the values we teach every day and inspire the next generation of journalists to pursue excellence, integrity and public service."
For Johane Saintil, a digital journalism student at the Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media, seeing accomplished journalists and FIU alumni recognized on the same stage made the evening especially meaningful.
"The event was important to me because it showed how much journalism is valued and how the work of journalists does not go unnoticed," Saintil said. "It was inspiring to watch everyone walk across the stage to accept their awards and to hear them speak about the importance of collaboration and opening doors for others in the community."
Saintil said the event reinforced what is possible for aspiring journalists entering the profession.
"The event was especially impactful for students like me because it showed that, as aspiring journalists, we can one day be on that stage as well," Saintil said. "It reminded me that our work has the power to make a difference by telling the stories of people who need to be heard. It also reinforced how important it is to listen to members of our community, understand their concerns and use journalism to help bring attention to issues that matter."
The evening showcased the strength of FIU's journalism community from classroom to newsroom. As current students connected with industry leaders and celebrated the accomplishments of Caplin alumni, the event underscored the school's commitment to preparing the next generation of journalists to serve their communities through impactful reporting.