Original reporting: Clara Rokita Garcia
TAMPA- Z News is one of eight college media organizations nationwide to receive a grant from the Solutions Journalism Network for the 2026-27 academic year as part of the SJN Student Media Challenge.
Launched in 2022, the Student Media Challenge supports college newsrooms in practicing solutions journalism — a fact-based approach to reporting that examines how people and organizations are responding to social problems.
Each selected newsroom will receive $7,500 to develop solutions-focused reporting projects.
For this challenge, Z News will examine how access to food and health resources affect youth mental health in underserved Tampa Bay communities. Our student newsroom will highlight the individuals, organizations and programs working toward solutions.
As a student-led media organization, Z News will bring these stories to audiences through broadcast, our website and social media platforms.
Over the nine-month grant period, the Solutions Journalism Network will provide training to help our newsroom develop reporting projects focused on effective responses to youth mental health challenges on campuses and in local communities.
Stephanie Elder, associate professor and news director, and Clara Rokita Garcia, student coordinator, will represent the newsroom in monthly meetings with SJN and the other grant recipients. We will learn about solutions journalism practices and exchange ideas with other student newsrooms.
We will then share that knowledge with the Z News cohort, helping students apply what they learn to their own reporting. SJN will also hold individual meetings with Z News to provide guidance as students develop their stories.
The project will give our 2026-27 student cohort valuable reporting experience and skills they can carry into future internships and careers.
But the impact of this challenge is intended to extend beyond the grant period.
Elder and Rokita Garcia will help train future Z News cohorts, incorporating solutions journalism into the newsroom’s ongoing reporting practices. By building these skills into our newsroom culture, we hope to make solutions journalism a lasting part of how Z News serves the USF community and Tampa Bay.
Z News is an application-only, television news course in which students produce a newsbreak show that airs three nights a week on the local PBS station, WEDQ, in the #12 media market (#1 in Florida), Tampa, FL. Students focus their coverage in the following areas: business community, environment, climate/weather, health, medical, education and sports. Students also manage www.usfznews.com and social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X.
Have a story idea? We want to hear from you. If you know of a local initiative, organization or individual working to improve youth mental health or expand access to food and health resources, reach out to Clara Rokita Garcia at clararokitagarcia@usf.edu or Stephanie Elder at selder@usf.edu. Your ideas could help shape our upcoming reporting.
Fall 2026 Cohort:
Dr. Stephanie Elder – Faculty Advisor
Clara Rokita Garcia – Student Coordinator
Lia Marsee – Graduate Assistant
Logan Buggy
Hayden Brattlof
Jae Diehl
Grace Dola
Sarah Diamond
Karley Haggerty
Tori Hardnett
Sofia Gomez
Bryan Mathias
Mia Murrieta
Zoey Patrick
Madison Perez
Trevor Williams
Spring 2027 Cohort:
Dr. Stephanie Elder
Clara Rokita Garcia
Lia Marsee
TBD