Schedule

Friday, March 27, 2026

4:00 – 4:45 p.m.	Open house at The Harvard Crimson 14 Plympton St., Cambridge, Mass. | map
5:00 – 6:00 p.m.	Reception
6:00 – 6:30 p.m.	Welcome remarks and introductions Henry Chu, interim curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard
6:30 – 7:45 p.m.	Dinner
7:45 – 8:45 p.m.	The Year Trump Broke the Federal Government A keynote address and conversation Hannah Natanson, Washington Post reporter and former managing editor of The Harvard Crimson Introduction: Matteo Diaz, president, The Harvard Crimson Q&A

Saturday, March 28, 2026

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.	Breakfast and networking
9:00 – 10:15 a.m.	Welcome remarks and presentation Know Your Rights as a Student Journalist Are you being unlawfully censored? Press freedom challenges on campus can come in many forms – from university-mandated budget cuts to PR offices that block your access to crucial sources and spokespeople. We’ll discuss your rights at public and private colleges, how to know if what you’re facing is censorship and how to recognize if you’re self-censoring without even knowing it. Jonathan Gaston-Falk, staff attorney at the Student Press Law Center Introduction: Dhruv Patel, managing editor, The Harvard Crimson
10:15 – 10:30 a.m.	Break (and find your breakout room)
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Choose one:   Breakout I Hit the Ground Running with Digital Safety This training is for student journalists who want to equip themselves with the tools needed for digital safety. We’ll cover the core principles of device security; teaching you practical techniques to keep your phone malware-free and your data secure in the event of loss, theft, or seizure. We will also dive into the essentials of account security, where you will learn how to implement strong passwords, utilize password managers, and enable two-factor authentication. To ensure that you can recognize even the most sophisticated cyber threats, we will explore advanced strategies hackers and harassers use to target the work and reputation of journalists and newsrooms. By mastering these foundational skills, you will establish the robust digital safety habits you’ll need to protect your data, your work, and your reporting career in the student newsroom and beyond. Harlo Holmes, chief security programs officer at Freedom of the Press Foundation Breakout II Beat Reporting and Source Development How do reporters become experts in a field? Learn how to dig deep into a subject, conduct meaningful research, collect data, and cultivate contacts. Discover where to look for information and overcome obstacles such as reluctant sources, stalled FOIA requests, and misinformation. 2026 Nieman Fellows Jessica Glenza, a senior health reporter for the Guardian US, and Daniel Strauss, most recently a national political reporter for CNN based in Washington, D.C.
11:45 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.	Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 p.m.	BREAKOUT SESSIONS Choose one: Breakout I Write Like the Pros How do large newsrooms such as The Washington Post and The Boston Globe approach the everyday craft of writing that underpins award-winning journalism? In this practical workshop, an opinion columnist and a national investigative reporter will share techniques used in their own work to produce clear, compelling stories, columns and analyses, including how to write strong ledes, craft sharp nut grafs and structure reporting and argument. Drawing on experience covering immigration, politics and public life, the session will offer practical tools for making your writing sharper, clearer and more engaging. 2026 Nieman Fellows Silvia Foster-Frau, a national investigative reporter covering immigration for The Washington Post, and Marcela García, a Boston Globe opinion columnist and associate editor whose commentaries focus on immigration, social inequities, and Hispanic issues Breakout II How to Think Like an Investigative Journalist Great investigative stories start with curiosity, skepticism and the right tools. In this session, you’ll learn how to spot hidden stories, frame investigations and dig deeper, whether you’re on a tight deadline or working on a long-term project. We’ll cover the essentials: finding strong story ideas, developing sources, leveraging open-source tools, handling pushback, working with data and crafting effective requests for comment. 2026 Nieman Fellow Sotiris Sideris, data editor at the Center for Collaborative Investigative Journalism in the U.S. and Reporters United in Greece, and Andrew Ryan, a member of the Spotlight Team at The Boston Globe and a 2024 Murrey Marder Nieman Fellow in Watchdog Journalism
2:15 – 2:30 p.m.	Break
2:30 – 4:30 p.m.	Student Lightning Round: Hear from Your Peers Short presentations from student news organizations about stories they’ve covered, special projects they’ve worked on, or newsroom challenges they’ve faced during the past year. Moderator: Sophie Culpepper, staff writer, Nieman Lab
4:30 – 4:45 p.m.	Final comments and survey