SHREVEPORT – LSU Shreveport assistant professor Dr. Sezgi Basak Kavakli has been named a 2026 Faculty Champion by the University of Vermont’s Center for Community News.
Kavakli re-launched LSUS’s student-run news organization The Almagest in Fall 2025, which was dormant for more than three years following the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Arts and Media faculty member is one of 150 honorees across the nation recognized for their efforts to start or expand student-led reporting programs in contribution to a movement of community reporting.
“I definitely didn’t expect an award or anything like that,” Kavakli said. “The Almagest gives students a chance to apprentice and co-produce content as they get valuable hands-on experience.
“Students drive the content they cover based on their interests.”
Student interest ignited the conversation to restart the student publication, which had published in some form since the university’s inception in 1967.
The first mainstay of the current news website was Cameron Pierce’s movie review series “Ticketworthy!” and the available staff has now expanded to 16 students with eight members who are paid per hour to regularly produce content and seek collaborations with members of all local communities.
“Our staff includes writers that cover everything from hard news, sports, culture and campus life with others performing social media, graphics and photography duties,” Kavakli said. “The Almagest meets every Friday at Bronson Hall to discuss story ideas and other related interests.”
Community-centered journalism differs from a strictly traditional news model.
Student journalists participate in “listening sessions” instead of traditional interviews.
“The goal isn’t to extract answers from people but to engage the community and be seen as partners,” Kavakli said. “We want to hear from those who are underrepresented and unheard by traditional newsrooms.
“Students take the lead in writing and story generation that’s geared toward bringing community views to the forefront.”
Two examples of this type of reporting include a domestic violence project in Shreveport and a guide of first-generation college students – students in which neither parent has a four-year degree.
Kavakli added that many communities – particularly under-resourced ones – don’t trust journalists and local news is losing importance in their eyes.
The long-term goal is to provide full-fledged coverage of these communities as student journalists engage with and earn trust.
The Almagest does partner with local media entities like KTAL and The Shreveport Times. LSUS also organizes an annual journalism conference each spring with Northwestern State University.
Another of Kavakli’s long-term goals – develop student leadership to completely run and direct The Almagest.
“I want them to retire me (from The Almagest),” Kavakli said with a smile. “Our vice-president Gabriella Olague proposed the slogan ‘for the students, by the students’ and I look forward to see our next lines of reporters/producers make The Almagest room their own.”