The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists chapter has awarded FL1 News Reporter Gabriel Pietrorazio a student travel grant to attend the Excellence in Journalism conference, the nation’s largest journalism training and networking event from September 5-7 in San Antonio, Texas.
Representing the state of Connecticut, Pietrorazio formerly served as the Thomaston reporter at the Town Times in Watertown, his hometown and worked as an intern reporter at the Finger Lakes Times in Geneva.
Currently, Pietrorazio an undergraduate senior at Hobart and William Smith Colleges is pursuing dual majors in Media and Society as well as Political Science, who writes for FL1 News, the HWS Office of Communications and also acts as the news director of WHWS-LP 105.7.FM, the Colleges’ nationally-ranked radio station.
At the EIJ, he will partake in a multitude of breakout sessions and workshops with leading journalism experts by exploring techniques and topic areas including: climate change, immigration and financial reporting; data, investigative and watchdog journalism as well as innovative and new media technologies and strategies, among many others.
“Becoming a reporter means that you have to become an expert in all facets of life, if not now, then eventually. You learn so much more in the field, working news beats and being forced to confront it and reality, unlike anywhere else,” Pietrorazio said.
Pietrorazio is humbled and honored to not solely represent the state of Connecticut as one of two travel grant recipients selected, but also bring back these tools and skillsets to report on behalf of FL1 News.
“For me, I have forged a wealth of my writing portfolio and early reporting career here in the Finger Lakes, which has allowed me to shape and sharpen my voice through local and regional media outlets. The Finger Lakes is more than just the subject line for any of my stories, but rather my secondary home and I am genuinely committed in providing transparency for this community: its people, places and most of all, politics. I am utterly grateful to receive this opportunity from the CTSPJ to attend the EIJ and even take these tools with me from Texas back to FL1 News during my final year of study at the Colleges and wherever else I may go,” Pietrorazio stated.
Earlier this summer, Pietrorazio was also a recipient of the Bob Eddy Scholarship that was issued to four undergraduate students by the CTSPJ, recognizing their “past journalism work, commitment to the industry, academic success and financial need.”
Since 2011, the Society of Professional Journalists and Radio Television Digital News Association have partnered to host an annual conference that provides journalists with the industry’s best training and networking opportunities.
This year, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists have also partnered with the SPJ and RTDNA to host the event in San Antonio.
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Gabe covered health and indigenous affairs in the Finger Lakes between 2019 and 2022. His award winning coverage was cited by the federal government and provided residents with an invaluable service during the coronavirus pandemic.