Cecilia Vaisman Award

The Cecilia Vaisman Award honors the legacy of late Medill associate professor member Cecilia Vaisman, an audio journalism leader who inspired countless students to pursue careers in video and audio journalism.

At Medill, Vaisman helped launch a bilingual reporting and storytelling course, as well as establish a Journalism Residency program in Argentina, allowing Medill students to gain hands-on experience reporting from there.

Vaisman, who died in 2015, earned two Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Awards for reporting on the disadvantaged, among other honors. Her work was featured on WBEZ’s “This American Life,” and National Public Radio’s “All Things Considered” and “Latino USA,” and other media outlets.

This annual award recognizes Latinx and Hispanic audio and video journalists who work every day to bring to light the many issues that affect Latinx and Hispanic communities inside and outside the United States.

The award recipient will receive a cash prize of $5,000 and an opportunity to speak at Medill. 

Winners

2024

• Hugo Balta, Illinois Latino News

2023

• Daniel Alarcón, Radio Ambulante

2022

• Maritza Félix, Conecta Arizona

2021

• Angélica Casas, BBC

2020

• María Inés Zamudio, WBEZ

2019

• Antonia Cereijido, NPR's Latino USA