From the Nominator

"Dr. Christina Knight found her purpose while attending Ohio State: helping underserved communities by providing care that respects patients as individuals. After her residency, Knight moved to Chinle, Arizona, for a fellowship in Navajo Nation. The people living on the reservation are more likely to experience poverty, addiction, poor health and limited medical care.  

The story of how Knight helps this community is not simple. At first, the young doctor felt overwhelmed and ineffective. But like the people there, she found strength through struggle and is making a genuine difference. Demonstrating this required helping readers feel present and invested. Writer Todd Jones accomplished this through descriptive storytelling, narrative structure and extensive interviewing, giving Knight, her family and teachers, and Navajo sources enough comfort to open up. He and a photographer traveled to Knight’s hometown and then to Arizona while COVID-19 swirled. The effort ensured the story showed the need there, avoided stereotyping and drew a realistic picture of Knight’s experience. Our goal was to share Ohio State’s impact, and that meant reflecting the reality: It can be really hard to do good.  

Knight’s story was carefully chosen for a keepsake magazine dominated by the football stadium’s centennial. This story had to be strong enough to stand out and special enough to stand the test of time. It succeeded. The print edition reached more than 88,000 households. The web package, including an audio version with interview excerpts and soundscapes Jones recorded in Arizona, is the 10th most viewed presence on our website and continues to draw readers."

From the Judges

The judging panel had the pleasure of reading this nomination and we must say “The Courage of Dr. Christina Knight" was a beautiful and heartwarming story that brought tears to our eyes. The writing was incredibly well done, with a great lead that was active and compelling. The article was an easy and engaging read that kept the panel hooked until the end. Overall, it was a terrific piece of writing that was not overdone, but simply a great example of excellent reporting.