Joshua Benton
Encyclopedia
Joshua Benton is an American journalist and writer. He is currently director of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University
, which he founded in 2008.
Before moving to Harvard, Benton was an investigative reporter and columnist for The Dallas Morning News
and a staff writer for The Toledo Blade. He won numerous national awards for his reporting, most notably on education. He wrote a series of stories on cheating on Texas' state test, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
, which led to state reforms and the permanent closure of the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District
.
He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, a Pew Fellow in International Journalism
at Johns Hopkins University
, and a Jefferson Fellow at the East-West Center
at the University of Hawaii
. At Yale University
, he was editor-in-chief of The Yale Herald
. Benton was also an early blogger at crabwalk.com.
Benton is also publisher of Crabwalk Books, a multilingual publishing house focusing on Cajun
Louisiana
, where he was raised in Rayne
.
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, which he founded in 2008.
Before moving to Harvard, Benton was an investigative reporter and columnist for The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News
The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area, with a circulation of 264,459 subscribers, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported in September 2010...
and a staff writer for The Toledo Blade. He won numerous national awards for his reporting, most notably on education. He wrote a series of stories on cheating on Texas' state test, the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills
The Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills is a standardized test used in Texas primary and secondary schools to assess students' attainment of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies skills required under Texas education standards. It is developed and scored by Pearson Educational...
, which led to state reforms and the permanent closure of the Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District
Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District
Wilmer-Hutchins Independent School District was a school district in southern Dallas County, Texas serving the cities of Wilmer and Hutchins, a portion of Dallas , and a small portion of Lancaster. The district served urban, suburban, and rural areas...
.
He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard, a Pew Fellow in International Journalism
International Reporting Project
The International Reporting Project is a project at the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University that aims to fund independent journalistic coverage of "under-reported" events around the world...
at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, and a Jefferson Fellow at the East-West Center
East-West Center
The East–West Center , headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific and the United States....
at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. At Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, he was editor-in-chief of The Yale Herald
The Yale Herald
The Yale Herald is a newspaper run by undergraduate students at Yale University since 1986. As a weekly, the paper aims to provide in-depth, investigative reporting, and includes comics, arts and entertainment coverage, sports and intramurals sections, and coverage of campus and local events...
. Benton was also an early blogger at crabwalk.com.
Benton is also publisher of Crabwalk Books, a multilingual publishing house focusing on Cajun
Cajun
Cajuns are an ethnic group mainly living in the U.S. state of Louisiana, consisting of the descendants of Acadian exiles...
Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, where he was raised in Rayne
Rayne, Louisiana
Rayne is a city in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,552 at the 2000 census. It is nicknamed the "Frog Capital of the World", as well as the "Louisiana City of Murals".Rayne is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area....
.