Elissa Nadworny
Elissa Nadworny reports on all things college for NPR, following big stories like unprecedented enrollment declines, college affordability, the student debt crisis and workforce training. During the 2020-2021 academic year, she traveled to dozens of campuses to document what it was like to reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. Her work has won several awards including a 2020 Gracie Award for a story about student parents in college, a 2018 James Beard Award for a story about the Chinese-American population in the Mississippi Delta and a 2017 Edward R. Murrow Award for excellence in innovation.
Nadworny uses multiplatform storytelling – incorporating radio, print, comics, photojournalism, and video — to put students at the center of her coverage. Some favorite story adventures include crawling in the sewers below campus to test wastewater for the coronavirus, yearly deep-dives into the most popular high school plays and musicals and an epic search for the history behind her classroom skeleton.
Before joining NPR in 2014, Nadworny worked at Bloomberg News, reporting from the White House. A recipient of the McCormick National Security Journalism Scholarship, she spent four months reporting on U.S. international food aid for USA Today, traveling to Jordan to talk with Syrian refugees about food programs there.
Originally from Erie, Pa., Nadworny has a bachelor's degree in documentary film from Skidmore College and a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
The number of students in undergraduate and graduate programs rose above pre-pandemic levels for the first time. -
It's been more than two years since the Supreme Court overturned a federal right to abortion and gave the issue to the states. 2025 could be the year states start battling each other in court.
-
The state of Texas is suing a doctor in New York, saying she prescribed abortion pills for a Texas woman in violation of its law.
-
Wisconsin's landmark law weakening public employee unions was jolted this week by a lower court ruling against it, renewing the dispute over workers in the union heartland.
-
The end of the year is fast approaching. Here are a few financial tasks you might want to do before 2024 is over.
-
President-elect Trump's call for government efficiency found some enthusiasm on Capitol Hill this week, while opposition for controversial nominees seemed to weaken.
-
Pope Francis cements his legacy at the Vatican Saturday by elevating 21 men from six continents to the College of Cardinals.
-
Even though a new constitutional amendment is in effect in Missouri, a Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Louis can't provide abortions. They are waiting for a judge to end Missouri's ban.
-
So far this season, the Detroit Lions lead the NFL. Saturday sees the MLS Cup Final. And Manny Pacquiao is entering the Boxing Hall of Fame.
-
Missouri voters moved to end the state's strict abortion ban in November but it's unclear when abortion treatment will be allowed. Some of the old laws remain on the books pending a judge's ruling.
