Episode 19: Andrew DeVigal, Community Connector & Legendary Listener

In this episode of One Cool Story: Tales from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, master’s student Kaiya Laguardia-Yonamine catches up with Andrew DeVigal, director of the Agora Journalism Center and co-director of the Multimedia Storytelling Master’s program at UO’s Portland campus. Andrew reflects on his 30-year career in journalism, from his early days at the Contra Costa Times in California to shaping visual and interactive storytelling at the Chicago Tribune, the Poynter Institute, and the New York Times. He shares what community-centered storytelling really means, the mission behind Agora, and why investing in local news is investing in the future of journalism. Stay tuned until the end for Andrew’s one cool story—a behind-the-scenes look at how an award-winning piece at the Times came to be, and why saying “yes” can change everything. Listen to hear: How Andrew’s career evolved from software programming to multimedia leadership at the New York Times. Why community trust, collaboration, and listening matter more than ever in journalism. How the Agora Journalism Center works with communities to fill information gaps across Oregon. What a New York Times story about an avalanche taught him about risk, innovation, and collaboration. Subscribe to the One Cool Story podcast: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/podcast  Learn about the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/  Apply to the UO School of Journalism and Communication: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/admissions  Discover the Agora Journalism Center: https://agorajournalism.center/  Learn about the Community Storytelling Podcasting Microcredential: https://journalism.uoregon.edu/academics/graduate-programs/multimedia-storytelling/microcredentials#podcasting