The Michael J. Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism is a student newsroom associated with the Media School at Indiana University. It produces original investigative reporting for local and national news outlets free of charge. According to founder and director Kathleen Johnston, the center seeks to “train the next generation of investigative journalists,” and turn out “hard-hitting, provocative” reporting on issues that affect the people of Indiana and the nation at large.
Arnolt began operations on August 1st, 2019, funded primarily by an endowment from alum Michael J. Arnolt. Staffed by undergrad and graduate students, the center maintains editorial independence from the university.
Industry collaborations
The Arnolt Center collaborates with professional news outlets such as IndyStar, USA Today, the Indiana Capital Chronicle, Fox 8 News, and InvestigateTV. When supporting a partner piece, Arnolt staff sift databases, analyze corporate and government records, and penetrate bureaucratic blockades to get information.
“The Arnolt Center provides a huge network of students who are willing and excited to do research, data— all of the nitty-gritty work that goes into an investigative story,” said Maxwell Reich, graduate student and team leader at the Center.
Kathleen Johnston designed the center to be a mechanism of collaboration. As she sees it, collaboration is the strategy journalism must use to weather its current period of upset. “Look, when I started in this business, there was no bigger thrill than beating the competition to a story,” she conceded. “But as competition has faded away, publications, and television stations, and others have had to join forces. Collaboration has been the way. It's not the way of the future, it's been going on for a while now. Everybody knows it's a way to survive.”
Aside from researching, students also contribute writing and pitch stories to Johnston and to the partners. According to Daniela Molina, an Arnolt alum who’s now a producer at InvestigateTV, Arnolt staff members have pitched sources and contributed graphics and visualizations for InvestigateTV. Students learn to be professional journalists by being treated as professional journalists.
“My goal when I set this up was to replicate as much of an investigative working newsroom as possible,” said Johnston. This gives her students practical experience and a working knowledge of the more niche tools of the trade. Things like FOIA requests and medical doctor’s disciplinary records.
“The value of these programs is that, because you are working on something specific, you get the opportunity to really learn skills that you might not learn in classrooms,” said Molina. “And I know we can't fit it all in a classroom. But that's why these types of centers, nonprofit organizations, partnerships, collaborations, are so important, because it really sets student journalists (which are journalists) up to learn these skills so they're already prepared when they get that first gig.”
Treating students like professionals also means paying them for their work. After putting in one full semester at the center, and earning an internship credit, staff are paid $15 per hour for the rest of their time with Arnolt.
Maxwell Reich adds, “I think our political climate as a country has sparked a lot of interest in the media. I think a lot of people who are curious—maybe on the fence about doing journalism—the Arnolt Center is a really great place to dip your feet in the water and try it out. I know that was the case for me.”
Daniela Molina also sees value in encouraging anyone with an interest in journalism to take the chance on building a community capable of supporting journalists in an industry that needs all the help it can get. “If this is a passion, we need you. We need you, and the center needs you. Even if you think you're not qualified, even if you think you don't have all the skills that you need, that's okay. We will help you.”
