HIGH POINT, N.C., April 25, 2016 – The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting selected High Point University junior Holly Gambrell as a 2016 Pulitzer Fellow. The fellowship will allow her to travel to Italy in August to report on the Roma population, also known as Gypsies, and Syrian refugees.
Gambrell, a communication major from Frederick, Maryland, selected this international reporting project because it is an underreported issue. She will work with Pulitzer Center staff and journalists throughout the fellowship, and her final product will be featured on the center’s website.
While studying abroad in Italy last year, Gambrell became interested in the Romas, a people group that has not assimilated into European society. Her reporting will compare how the Italian government handles perceived “outsiders” like the Romas versus Syrian refugees.
“In-depth reporting is needed in this area because there are a lot of misconceptions about Romas, and very few people know how the government in each European nation handles them,” Gambrell says. “It is also important to recognize the similarities between the Romas and Syrians in order to understand the relationship between government and its citizens. I hope that my work makes people think hard about the situation at hand, and makes people recognize the humanity within us all, no matter our differences.”
“I am confident that Holly will do a great job for us on this important story and follow successfully in the footsteps of our past winners,” says Dr. Linda Gretton, assistant professor of strategic communication.
High Point University is one of more than 20 college campuses participating in the Pulitzer Center’s Campus Consortium initiative. The Pulitzer Center is an innovative, award-winning nonprofit journalism organization based in Washington, D.C., dedicated to supporting independent international journalism. Its Campus Consortium is a growing network of university partners aimed at raising awareness of systemic international concerns often underreported in U.S. media.