Washington, DC— The Student Press Law Center is excited to award the 2021 Reveille College Press Freedom
Award to the Rocky Mountain Collegian at Colorado State University. Reporter Laura Studley conducted a
four-month investigation into sexual misconduct accusations against a now-former professor and the university and
local law enforcement’s lack of engagement on the allegations. Studley and the Rocky Mountain Collegian’s work is
an excellent example of courageous student journalism which exposed misconduct and opened important
conversations on campus.
“I’m thrilled to have won this award for The Rocky Mountain Collegian,” Studley said. “It was such an incredible
opportunity to be able to write this article. I learned and grew so much as a journalist. I think the most rewarding
thing for me was being able to connect survivors to one another and to help them realize they weren’t alone.”
The Reveille Seven College Press Freedom Award is given annually to an outstanding college news organization that
speaks truth to power and demonstrates outstanding support for college press freedom. The Reveille Seven were a
group of student journalists at Louisiana State University who were expelled in 1934 after publishing criticism of
then Louisiana Governor Huey Long. Years later, they were cleared of all wrong-doing. The Reville Seven College
Press Freedom Award is presented in partnership with the Manship School of Mass Communications at Louisiana
State University and the Associated College Press. LSU also provides a $2,000 prize to the winning organization.
SPLC executive director Hadar Harris said, “We commend Laura Studley for getting answers despite being
stonewalled by university officials for weeks on end. She also conducted multiple interviews with each survivor to
go over details, verify facts and ensure every step of the way that they still wanted to participate. Studley’s
reporting is emblematic of the Reveille Seven’s courage and tenacity, whose legacy we are proud to honor with this
award.”
“The Collegian journalists spent months putting together this important public safety report that should concern
everybody associated with Colorado State University (CSU),” Adviser Jake Sherlock said. “Laura and the team of
editors supporting her took great care to verify the story of the two survivors who bravely came forward to tell
their stories. Without the help of these two brave CSU students, this reporting wouldn’t have been possible. I’m
very proud of the work our journalists did to tell this important public safety story.”
Student Press Law Center: Since 1974, the Student Press Law Center has worked to support, promote and defend
the First Amendment and freedom of expression rights of student journalists at the high school and college level,
and the advisers who support them. Working at the intersection of law, journalism and education, SPLC runs the
nation’s only free legal hotline for student journalists. We also provide training, educational resources and support
the grassroots non-partisan New Voices movement, seeking state-based legislative support for student press
freedom. The SPLC is an independent, non-profit 501c(3) organization based in Washington, D.C.
