Pulitzer-winning correspondent David Zucchino ’73 preps students for international reporting

Story and photo by Jessica Simmons '24 (M.A.)

UNC Hussman alumnus David Zucchino ’73 returned to the school as an adjunct instructor in fall 2023. Zucchino is a foreign correspondent and contributing writer for The New York Times and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for his coverage of apartheid in South Africa and his book “Wilmington’s Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy.” Zucchino's journey from student, award-winning reporter to a classroom instructor embodies the school’s tradition of developing industry leaders and recruiting them back to teach and mentor students to become future leaders in media and journalism.

Following his graduation from UNC Hussman in 1973, David Zucchino spent more than 45 years reporting as a foreign correspondent from more than 30 countries including Bosnia, Chechnya, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Namibia, South Africa, Uganda and Afghanistan.

During his time in the field, Zucchino earned numerous awards and recognitions as a reporter. He is a five-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for his “deeply resourceful and thorough” work such as war coverage in Lebanon, Iraq and Africa. He has won two Pulitzer Prizes —  one for his 1989 coverage of apartheid in South Africa, “Being Black in South Africa,” and another for his 2020 book “Wilmington’s Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy.”

Seeing an increased need for international reporting instruction at his alma mater, Zucchino decided that it was time for a break in his career to teach and share his insights and experiences with UNC Hussman students.

“When professionals at the top of their industries, like our alumnus David Zucchino, join us to teach courses and mentor students, they bring an invaluable range of perspectives, current insights and rich career experiences into our classrooms and our school community,” said Raul Reis, UNC Hussman dean and John T. Kerr Distinguished Professor. “Imagine being a student honing your reporting and writing skills by working directly with a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner with such an incredible international career. It’s a hallmark of the UNC Hussman student experience.”

Zucchino said his goal is to engage and inspire students to pursue careers in overseas reporting and global journalism.

Zucchino’s course, “International Reporting,” is structured more as an active newsroom than a lecture-based class. The focus is on helping students refine skills by becoming “virtual correspondents” capable of covering timely and dynamic international affairs in the digital age.

The course trains students to employ social media to develop and execute story proposals; to respond promptly to breaking news events; to identify and interview sources; and to compose vivid and compelling stories encompassing profiles, features and news from around the world.

Zucchino said that he knows international reporting is best done on location, but he needed to find a way to teach the skills and prepare students on how to report effectively on important international stories from Chapel Hill.

“They end up doing interviews overnight because that's the only time their sources are awake. It's very reflective of what happens in the real world,” he said, noting the challenges of working with sources in a range of time zones. “You’re a foreign correspondent. You get frustrated because you're supposed to talk to somebody, and they don't show up or you can't find the right person. It happens a lot. It's very realistic experiences and true to life."

In the course, students select a country, region or subject area as their beat, and they navigate the challenges of doing their reporting virtually for overseas stories. Zucchino was surprised that most of the students in the class chose countries and regions outside of the areas he has covered. 

“They’ve covered social movements and politics in Brazil; the destruction of Cairo’s ‘City of the Dead’ in Egypt; environmental issues in China and Central America; and abortion restrictions in Poland,” Zucchino said. “They are reporting on authoritarian regimes in Iran and Turkey; violence against women in Mexico; draconian laws in Singapore; and the Ukrainian-Russian war, including Ukraine's undergrad schools in the subways.” 

Zucchino said that the students have independently found and produced excellent stories.

“I'm impressed with their creativity,” he said. “We’ve gone all around the world without ever leaving the classroom.”

Adele Morris, a junior in the class, said that she chose Venezuela as her beat due to the politics around immigration processes and the relationships she has with people from the country.

“I thought that covering Venezuela was a pertinent choice, given all that is going on there politically,” said Morris, who is a double major in media and journalism and Hispanic linguistics. “The Biden administration just made two huge announcements about Venezuelan immigrants. One was favorable toward granting temporary protected status. The other was about deportations and building part of a border wall.”

Morris said that she is grateful for how Zucchino is committed to improving her writing and reporting.

“His editor's notes tighten up my writing,” she said. “He's made me a better writer by pushing me out of my comfort zone and encouraging me to pursue difficult stories and interviews. My interviewing skills have definitely improved in this class.”

Senior Olivia “Liv” Reilly said that she is proud to be a part of Zucchino’s class.

“It has just been so cool learning from someone who has actually spent years reporting around the world,” she said.

Reilly, who double majors in media and journalism and geography, said that she chose a topic rather than a country. Her beat examines feminine expression and identity through different cultures with Japanese, Muslim and Parisian women.

“So far, I’ve focused on the Japanese idea of kawaii and hijabi women, Parisian fashion and hair braiding,” Reilly said.

Both Morris and Reilly said that they plan to continue reporting on their beats and work on international projects even after the course concludes.

Zucchino said that he will return to reporting after the semester and look for the next subject of a new book.