Through March 2027, NCMPR will periodically share a story that won a 2026 Medallion Award in writing.
First up: Pellissippi State Community College in Tennessee won the 2026 District 2 gold Medallion in Excellence in Writing-Long Form, for the story “Pellissippi Prepared: Alumnus wins Pulitzer Prize for capturing historic presidential campaign moment.”
Jabin Botsford has been a full-time staff photographer for the Washington Post since 2015, when he was assigned to follow then-political newcomer Donald Trump on the campaign trail. In the decade since, Botsford has covered hundreds of rallies by Trump—now in his second term as president of the United States.
So when Botsford attended a Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last July, the brutally warm day was really like any other. He snapped Trump’s entrance and the beginning of his speech, before nearing the stage for some more close-up photos.
“I got to the front,” he said, “and that’s when the shots went off.”
Botsford, who had been kneeling, stood up. As a photojournalist who primarily covers politics, he’s used to being in a “security bubble,” where the thought of a gunshot is unfathomable. He assumed it must be fireworks.
Read the full story on the Pellissippi State website.
About the winning story
From Pellissippi State’s entry form: This story is part of our ongoing alumni storytelling campaign, “Pellissippi Prepared,” which spotlights individuals who have graduated from the college and are now benefitting from their education in their career. In this case, alumnus Jabin Botsford reflected on his experience at the college, where he started his photojournalism career that has since earned him the industry’s most coveted award: the Pulitzer Prize.
Botsford, who works for the Washington Post, won the award in part for photos he took at a campaign rally when there was an assassination attempt on then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. In the story, Botsford fondly remembers his time in community college and how it jump-started the journey that has led to his success today.
STAY CONNECTED