MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - Middle Tennessee State University continues to be in the national spotlight as Matthew Leimkuehler, an assistant professor in MTSU’s School of Journalism and Strategic Media, has been named one of 150 “champions” for the Center for Community News (CCN), a nonpartisan nonprofit based at the University of Vermont. The honor recognizes faculty across the nation who are helping rebuild local news through university-led reporting programs. For MTSU's Leimkuehler, the recognition fits neatly into the work he’s already doing.
The Center for Community News in Vermont's faculty champion program offers a small stipend and a year of coaching, mentoring and networking — all aimed at strengthening the pipeline between journalism classrooms and community newsrooms.
CCN Director Richard Watts said the champions represent the best of university-driven reporting. “These programs are a win-win for everyone; students receive high-impact experiences, and communities benefit from more reliable news,” he said.
Leimkuehler hopes to use the opportunity to deepen partnerships across Middle Tennessee, creating editorial relationships that allow MTSU students to produce publish-ready content for local outlets. “This aligns with what I want to do here at MTSU with creating real-world experiences and teaching students how to tell stories,” he said.
He’s already moving quickly. This fall, he’s launching a new community news course and has recruited seven junior- and senior-level students who’ve excelled in advanced reporting. He approached each student individually, then connected with the Tennessee Press Association to help shape the course’s direction.
The class will function like a working newsroom — students out in the field reporting, then gathering occasionally to brainstorm, interview, write and edit. Each student will produce at least three stories focused on tourism in Tennessee, a topic broad enough to allow for business reporting, enterprise pieces, small‑town features and off‑the‑beaten‑path travel stories.
By digging into tourism trends, spending data and visitor patterns, Leimkuehler says students will get a mix of hard news and creative storytelling. “The most important goal is making sure the students tell good stories,” he said.
Leimkuehler also teaches feature writing, reporting and advanced reporting, and leads a summer class at Bonnaroo, where students get hands-on field experience — a fitting background for someone now recognized nationally for championing community news.
