June 25, 2025
Photos by Nate Brown
Mark Horvit, professor and chair of the journalism professions faculty group at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, has been named Teacher of the Year in the prestigious Scripps Howard Journalism Awards.
The award comes during Horvit’s 17th year at the School of Journalism, where he has developed a reputation for excellence in teaching investigative and statehouse reporting while also thriving in a variety of administrative leadership roles throughout that time.
“Mark is an invaluable leader to Mizzou, the School of Journalism and the industry,” David Kurpius, dean of the school, said. “His impact is evident not only in the stories his students produce — students who have gone on to illustrious reporting careers all over the country — but in the ethical rigor and deep critical thinking skills he instills. He is creating the foundation for a new generation of smart, innovative journalists.”
Whether in the classroom or leading projects like the creation and coordination of the Missouri News Network, which unifies the school’s five professional, learning-lab newsrooms. Horvit’s success is defined by a distinctive mix of laid-back approachability and driving ambition. He is always striving for a new goal, less out of a sense of obligation than a passion for using his skills to make a difference.
“What keeps me interested is, what’s the next thing that needs to be done?” Horvit said. “What’s the next thing that would be really exciting to tackle, or what’s something with a degree of difficulty we haven’t tried before? It’s the same thing for the journalism side of things or the administrative side.”
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