UofL alumnus Kyeland Jackson earns Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting

University of Louisville alumnus Kyeland Jackson ’15, ’17, has earned journalism’s highest honor as part of the Minnesota Star Tribune team awarded the 2026 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Reporting for its coverage of the August 2025 shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.

For Jackson, who earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from UofL’s College of Arts and Sciences, the recognition is both a personal milestone and a reminder of journalism’s enduring purpose.

“Personally, being recognized with a Pulitzer Prize meant validation for the work that brought me here,” Jackson said. “I spent years questioning if my reporting would make an impact or earn recognition. An award was not the goal, but this was proof that the effort put into crafting accurate and ethical reporting had paid off.”

Jackson’s path to the Pulitzer wasn’t a straight line. Originally a pre-engineering student, he struggled academically before changing majors to communication, a decision he credits with reshaping his future.

“The most formative experience at the university which prepared me for a career in journalism was failure,” he said. “Facing such failure put my feet to the fire and forced me to rebuild.”

That journey led him to The Louisville Cardinal, where he served as editor-in-chief. The experience sharpened his reporting, leadership and decision-making skills while helping the student newspaper earn 22 Society of Professional Journalists awards during his tenure.

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Jackson also credits longtime faculty adviser Ralph Merkel with helping launch his career.

“Ralph Merkel’s impact on my development cannot be understated. I wouldn’t be here without him,” Jackson said. “He helped to show me the ropes around journalism, teaching me the skills and values needed to deliver quality news.”

“Kyeland has a natural curiosity that makes him a perfect journalist,” said Merkel. “He took every opportunity to perfect his craft through my classes and at The Louisville Cardinal. I always expected great things from him.”

In addition to hands-on newsroom experience, Jackson said coursework and mentorship within UofL’s Department of Communication provided the foundation for his success, preparing him with the research, writing and critical-thinking skills essential to professional journalism.

Today, Jackson hopes his story encourages current students to embrace challenges and trust the process.

“It means the world,” he said of serving as an example for future Cardinals. “…My story of failure and changing majors is one of many…adding my journey as an example for UofL students who are trying to figure out life like I did feels gratifying. It’s truly a full-circle moment.”

His advice to aspiring journalists is simple: persevere.

“‘Fail upwards’ by finding your strengths and weaknesses. Persevere when things seem difficult…The strain can be heavy, but the reward could be what I’ve found in journalism: a career which stirs so much passion that the mission becomes the goal, and where awards, Pulitzers and otherwise, become a consequence.”