Jackson Brandhorst

Jackson Brandhorst is an award-winning journalist with over six years of professional experience spanning local, student, and investigative media. Currently a reporter for The Daily Egyptian and a journalism major at Southern Illinois University, Brandhorst has built a reputation for turning complex civic issues into palatable, high-impact stories rooted in ethical storytelling and public accountability. At just 21-years-old, he served as the editor-in-chief of The Southern Illinoisan, leading the historic regional publication through a transformative period while managing a daily paper, quarterly magazine, and social media for a readership of over one million people. Under his leadership, the newsroom earned statewide acclaim, including multiple first-place honors from the Illinois Press Association and the Associated Press. His tenure at The Southern offered him firsthand experience with the ruthless culture of corporate media, as he witnessed the publication change ownership between corporations — an experience that ultimately led him back to academia.

Now as a Pulitzer Center and Washington Media Fellow, Brandhorst combines sharp editorial instincts with a commitment to progressive policymaking, impactful storytelling, and public-interest journalism. His reporting has investigated international student visa revocations, while also serving as a watchdog over university decisions, local government affairs, and the criminal justice system. With a background that bridges both newsroom leadership and investigative reporting, Brandhorst is especially focused on institutional transparency, human rights, social justice, media literacy, and the erosion of local news. His broader interests include environmental justice, political sociology, and cultural criticism.