Sam Upshaw Jr., a photojournalist for The Courier-Journal who shared in two Pulitzer Prizes and a former College Heights Herald staffer, has been selected as the 2025-26 recipient of the College Heights Herald Award for Outstanding Contributions to Journalism.
He will be presented with the award at the 75th Student Publications Homecoming Breakfast, 9:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 1, on the lawn at the Adams-Whitaker Student Publications Center.
Upshaw, who received his bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from WKU in 1987, is retiring Oct. 3 after a 38-year career with The Courier-Journal, which he joined upon his graduation from WKU. While at The CJ, Upshaw covered the University of Louisville’s victories at the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl and three final four appearances including the Cardinals’ 2013 national championship win in Atlanta. He was also part of the team that covered the University of Kentucky’s national championship in New Orleans in 2012. His tenure at The CJ included a four-month stint on the staff of USA Today.
He has received awards in the Kentucky News Photographer’s Association contest, where he won Best of Show in 1989 and was runner-up for photographer of the year in the National Association of Black Journalists’ Salute to Excellence Awards that same year.
In addition to individual awards, Upshaw was also part of The Courier-Journal teams that won Pulitzer Prizes in 1989 for covering the Carrollton bus crash and in 2020 for covering the scandal surrounding last minute pardons by outgoing Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
As a student, Upshaw had internships with The Louisville Defender, The Tennessean in Nashville and the Los Angeles Times.
Upshaw also was involved for several summers with the workshops WKU Student Publications staged for aspiring journalists.
Upshaw is the 73rd winner of the Herald Award, which honors alumni of WKU Student Publications who have made significant contributions in the journalism fields and built a reputation of excellence for their work.
You can register to attend the Homecoming Breakfast at this link: https://wkustudentpubs.com/homecoming-2025/