Daniel Oyefusi wins the MDDC Rookie of the Year prize for new journalists for his depth, skills and professionalism as a sports and reporter for The Baltimore Sun, in Baltimore, Maryland.
This award honors a new journalist with less than 18 months’ experience in the field. The submission package included three to five clips of the reporter’s work and a letter of recommendation from his or her editor. Six nominations were received from five member publications.
The entries were judged by MDDC Press Foundation Board members. The judges were looking for versatility—feature and news, writing, social media, video—and skill. All nominees delivered and are obvious assets to their newsrooms.
The judges were impressed with Oyefusi’s range and abilities, showing writing skills far beyond his age and experience. His work shows him to be an excellent storyteller with strong, insightful reporting to back up those stories. People open up to him and he is able to get compelling detail. He is confident enough to take risks in his writing that pay off for the reader.
Baltimore Sun publisher and editor Trif Alatzas wrote in his recommendation letter “it’s rare to encounter a reporter with the breadth and drive to cover as many areas as Daniel clearly can.” Having started his rookie career as a sports reporter covering two high-profile beats, Oyefusi pivoted at the start of the pandemic to cover the effects of coronavirus on the community. He dove into the transition and learned on the job, “covering the way coronavirus was upending society just as it was upending his job.”
Oyefusi graduated from the University of Maryland College Park in 2019.
Congratulations!
About our Nominees
Madison Bateman, Southern Maryland News
“She has learned how to use her gentle personality to properly engage with government officials in a friendly yet firm way, enticing truthful information and, often, great quotes out of local leaders. This innate ability to connect with others has served her – and Southern Maryland News – well. ”
Dan Belson, Southern Maryland News
Capably “juggled court dockets from three counties. He did so admirably, whether it was to cover a shooting or writing about an odd police brief item. He’s quick to add in facts and figures to add authenticity, but always keeps people’s voices as the foundation of his work.
He developed a good rapport with the region’s prosecutors and other lawyers, and was able to interview judges with poise. His confident interview style has served him well, and he always searches for the extra nugget of information to make a story more interesting to readers.”
Ana Faguy, Howard County Times
“Ana has created solid professional relationships with Howard County government officials and cultivated informative and necessary contacts with sources throughout the county. Readers know they can come to her with tips, and she will do her best to get to the truth. Ana also actively seeks to be inclusive when reporting her stories no matter the subject, making sure to include a diverse range of race, gender, age and geographic area. She has quickly become the kind of versatile reporter always willing to go the extra mile, work the extra hour, and do the extra due diligence to make sure stories are the best they can be.”
Hannah Gaskill, Maryland Matters
“Her first day on the job was just two days before the start of the busy, chaotic and consequential General Assembly session in Annapolis. With no time to get acclimated, she jumped in feet first and began providing excellent, well-rounded coverage right from the start.
Hannah is a fearless, inquisitive, energetic reporter who would shine in any newsroom. She can write a quick-hit story, an in-depth look at policy, or a feature with equal skill and aplomb.”
Erika Riley, Frederick News-Post
“In a brief career dominated by the ubiquity of coronavirus, Riley has powered through and thrived. She’s realized the stories on her primary beat – business – need to be told now more than ever. She’s documented both the trials and successes of local businesses amid the pandemic. She’s detailed the pains small business owners have endured while applying – or trying to apply – for pandemic relief funds. And her tenacity is only half the story. Riley’s matter-of-fact writing doesn’t waste the time of readers confronting a busy and often-chaotic world. It’s her sources who tell the story – Riley’s just a concise vessel, sprinkling in some color and voice when called for.”
