University of South Florida

Judy Genshaft Honors College

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USF Honors Alum Jordan McGillis Awarded Novak Journalism Fellowship

University of South Florida and Judy Genshaft Honors College alum Jordan McGillis, ‘12, was recently named one of seven recipients of the 2025–26 Robert Novak Journalism Fellowship.

Awarded annually by The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) and named in honor of columnist and broadcaster Robert D. Novak, the fellowship provides early-career journalists with funding to spend a year pursuing in-depth reporting on U.S. issues.

McGillis currently serves as a fellow at the Economic Innovation Group. He previously worked as the economics editor for the Manhattan Institute's City Journal magazine and as an adjunct fellow at the Global Taiwan Institute. With expertise spanning energy policy, technology, geopolitics, and trade, McGillis’ writing has appeared in major outlets including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and CNN. His work has also been cited by The Economist, the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the Congressional Research Service, and other organizations.

Judy Genshaft Endowed Dean Charles Adams said McGillis’s accomplishments reflect the college’s mission to empower students to make meaningful contributions beyond the classroom.

“At the Judy Genshaft Honors College, we encourage our students to actively engage with the world around them and to use their voices for the public good,” said Adams. “Jordan McGillis’s achievements exemplify those ideals, and we’re excited to see what this fellowship will allow him to accomplish.”

As a Novak Journalism Fellow, McGillis will have the opportunity to pursue independent journalism projects exploring key issues in American life. He and the other six recipients will be formally recognized during the 32nd Annual TFAS Journalism Forum and Awards Dinner on Nov. 11, 2025, at the Metropolitan Club in New York City. 

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Committed to intellectual curiosity, global citizenship, and service across three unique Tampa Bay campuses, Honors News shares the exceptional stories of the Judy Genshaft Honors College.