Journalists today have a hard job. They sit in murder trials, visit crime scenes and have tough conversations with people who have just lost loved ones. They often have to look through images or videos that are very disturbing just to know what to write or broadcast on TV. These situations can trigger or create trauma that can develop into mental health struggles.

Professor Joe Straubhaar grew up in a rural area, twenty miles from Boise, Idaho on a dairy farm. Straubhaar thought he was doing well, known as a “hot shot” writer with good grades and an athletic background, until he moved to northern California in 1969 when he accepted a scholarship to Stanford University.

Moody College of Communication’s School of Journalism and Media has announced the winners of this year’s Dan Rather Medals for News and Guts, which are awarded to journalists who go the extra mile to hold people and institutions accountable.