Thomas Copeland

Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism - Master's degree in Journalism at Columbia University

Thomas Copeland is from Northern Ireland and will graduate from Queen’s University Belfast in 2022 with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

Thomas’s passion for public service journalism began at the age of 16 when he set-up Challenges NI, a platform for young people’s voices on the issues affecting their lives. As Head of News at Queen’s Radio, Thomas has won student journalism awards in the UK and Ireland. He also works as an Assistant Producer with Third Street Studios on BBC current affairs programmes and is a freelance broadcast journalist for Sky News and BBC Radio 5 Live. Thomas is Chair of the Royal Television Society NI Futures Panel, a member of the US Embassy Dublin Young Leaders’ Council and an alumnus of the Washington Ireland Program.

Thomas is excited to be undertaking a master’s degree in journalism at Columbia University. He intends to learn new broadcast and multi-media skills and to develop innovative investigative techniques in the dynamic journalistic landscape of New York City. Thomas’ ambition is to harness the power of journalism in order to make a meaningful impact on the lives of audiences in Northern Ireland and across the Globe.