UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A three-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Penn State alumnus will speak on his work and take questions as part of the Foster-Foreman Conference of Distinguished Writers, scheduled Oct. 18 on the University Park campus.
Paul Pringle, who earned his master’s degree from Penn State in 1979, has been a key part of teams that earned the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting (2019), public service (2011) and breaking news (2004) during his career. He also earned a George Polk Award (2008).
His free public lecture will begin at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 in Carnegie Cinema at 113 Carnegie Building.
“It’s great to bring Paul Pringle back to Penn State,” said John Affleck, head of the Journalism Department. “His body of work is a testament to the impact even a single dedicated journalist can have on a major city.”
Pringle’s session, titled “Bad City: Investigating Corruption and Power in Los Angeles” will build off his recent book, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at his investigation into drug use by the dean of the USC Keck School of Medicine and the lack of response by the Pasadena Police Department. The book, titled “Bad City: Peril and Power in the City of Angels,” was published earlier this year. It also describes Pringle’s long struggle to get the story published.
Pringle’s book has been called “a master class in investigative journalism” by The New York Times.
During his career with The Los Angeles Times, Pringle has exposed corruption in the Service Employees International Union, misspending in Los Angeles community colleges, and unethical community leaders in Bell, California, among many other stories. He has worked as an investigative reporter at Times since 2001. Before that, he was West Coast bureau chief for the Dallas Morning News and Los Angeles bureau chief for Copley News Service. He also has taught journalism as an adjunct faculty member at Cal State Northridge.
Pringle earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge in 1978 and his master’s the following year from Penn State, where he was a columnist for The Daily Collegian.