EIU Media Relations

Hardy in the Heartland—EIU Alum’s journey leads to Pulitzer Prize

Former Daily Eastern News journalist Cam’ron Hardy part of Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune series

(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University alumnus Cam’ron Hardy’s college journey began as a student journalist at The Daily Eastern News. Today, he is a contributing reporter on a Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago Tribune project, reflecting the transformative opportunities available to EIU students in Illinois, across the country, and around the globe.

“From a small newsroom in Charleston to a Pulitzer in under a year out of college is a cool feat,” Hardy shared in an email update to his alma mater. “I wanted to say thank you [to everyone at EIU] for the help and support over the years and I’m glad that I could give something back to a University that gave me so much!”

Hardy, from Chicago’s southwest suburb of Alsip, Illinois, graduated from Eastern in Spring 2025 after building an impressive portfolio during more than three years with The Daily Eastern News. What began with a first published story in February 2022 quickly evolved into a prolific collegiate journalism career that included more than 200 published stories, leadership in multimedia storytelling and national-level professional opportunities.

Encouraged early on by EIU faculty member Dr. Ensung Kim to become involved with student media, Hardy said joining The Daily Eastern News became one of the most influential decisions of his college experience. Through reporting, photography, podcasting and video production, he developed a versatile skill set while covering issues affecting both campus and the Charleston community.

During his time at Eastern, Hardy expanded his interests beyond traditional reporting. He embraced photojournalism, learned audio and video editing techniques and co-founded a movie podcast focused on film discussion and entertainment coverage. He credits EIU faculty mentors and newsroom advisors with helping shape both his professional development and personal growth throughout his college career.

“Eastern was a great way to work on my craft,” Hardy said. “Working closely with my professors and advisors helped me prepare for what to expect in this career path in the real world. I’ve always been appreciative of the time and patience they had for me. I could tell they wanted the best for me and wanted me to succeed.”

Hardy’s work ethic and dedication opened doors to opportunities beyond campus. Following his sophomore year, he was accepted into a mentorship program connected with The New York Times, where he worked with editors and writing coaches, including EIU alumnus Bill Ruthhart. The experience helped position Hardy for a six-month internship with the Chicago Tribune, where he covered arts and entertainment, food and dining, breaking news and immigration-related stories throughout the Chicago area.

Earlier this year, Hardy transitioned from intern to full-time Oak Park, Illinois reporter with Pioneer Press, a suburban newspaper group owned by the Chicago Tribune. Since joining the newsroom, he has continued covering community-focused stories while pursuing long-term goals in both journalism and filmmaking.

One of the defining milestones of Hardy’s early career came when reporting he contributed to during his Chicago Tribune internship became part of a project submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration. The Tribune was awarded its 29th Pulitzer Prize earlier this month, marking an extraordinary achievement for a journalist less than a year removed from college graduation.

Reflecting on his path from Charleston to Chicago, Hardy expressed gratitude to the faculty mentors, editors, classmates and community members who supported him throughout his time at Eastern. He noted that the opportunities he received through The Daily Eastern News and EIU helped prepare him for the demands of professional journalism and allowed him to give back through meaningful storytelling.

“I had such a 180 in my college career,” Hardy said. “When I first got to college, I spent the first semester just getting acclimated to the new environment I was in, but I still stayed in my dorm most of the day. By the end of my senior year, I felt comfortable in any room I walked in, but that came from breaking out of my shell and trying new things and putting myself out there and the Daily Eastern News is attributed to that. Eastern was small enough to actually know my professors and not just be known by my student ID. Eastern was a great place for me to work on myself and be experimental because the community’s so accepting.”

 Hardy’s accomplishments underscore Eastern Illinois University’s longstanding commitment to experiential learning, mentorship and career preparation across communication, journalism and media fields.

For more than 135 years, Eastern Illinois University has responded to the evolving educational, workforce and community needs of the region and State while maintaining a strong tradition of student achievement and graduate success. Today, EIU continues to provide an affordable, accessible and high-quality education that prepares graduates to work and lead in a variety of professions.

Prospective students interested in EIU can explore EIU scholarship opportunities through a searchable, online tool at EIU Academic Works Scholarship Portal, helping connect prospective and current EIU students with personalized scholarships at the University. Prospective students looking for EIU scholarship opportunities can search for scholarships by keyword, department, field of study, career interests and more. Students who have already been admitted to the University or who are currently enrolled also can use their EIU Net IDs to log in to the online tool, where their EIU information will automatically pair them with the most useful or recommended scholarships available.

With a streamlined, no-cost application process and access to admissions counselors, prospective EIU students can quickly move from interest to enrollment while exploring scholarship opportunities and campus resources. Interested students can learn more about EIU’s admissions process at EIU Admissions Application Information.

EIU prepares students to accomplish their life goals through a combination of quality academics, personal relationships, and both on-campus and online learning opportunities. For more information about Eastern Illinois University, including its broad array of academic and career readiness programs, community-based services and opportunities, visit Eastern Illinois University or call EIU’s public information office at (217) 581-7400.

*Some information in this article was ascertained from the Chicago Tribune and The Daily Eastern News. EIU shares that information here with appropriate attributions. Photo by Daily Eastern News/Rob LeCates.