On March 27, 2025, The Eastern Echo will induct Kim Kozlowski, along with two other Echo alumni, into The Echo Hall of Fame during the third annual Student Media Gala. Kozlowski has made a significant impact on journalism in Michigan, and was named the 2021 Journalist of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Throughout her long journalism career, Kozlowski has covered sensitive topics with poise and integrity. When the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar was accused of sexual abuse in 2015, Kozlowski followed the story for the Detroit News. Through her reporting, she informed the public of MSU’s efforts to stall the investigation into Nassar.
“No one really realized the enormity of the scandal,” Kozlowski said. “It was a watershed moment for sexual abuse.”
A few years after covering the MSU scandal, she was contacted by a former University of Michigan student now living in California. The former student shared an encounter he had with one of the university’s physicians during his time at the university. With his consent, she broke the story of Dr. Robert Anderson, who would posthumously be accused of sexual assault by over 1,000 victims.
“The day we ran it, my phone was ringing off the hook with people who had stories that were very similar," Kozlowski. "It was unbelievable."
Her reporting about Dr. Anderson won her Journalist of the Year in 2021. This award was given by the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, a 100+ year old journalism organization that encourages a free press and ethical journalism practices.
Though the recounts of abuse were horrific, Kozlowski felt privileged to be covering these stories in the backdrop of the #MeToo movement. She was able to see the shift in how male and female survivors were treated, and believed, while reporting. To document that social movement and change, she said, was an honor.
“It felt like the needle was moving for women being believed [and] taken seriously, perpetrators being held accountable, institutions making change … It was an honor to be part of that whole movement,” Kozlowski said.
Before covering high profile cases of misconduct at colleges, and even before writing for The Echo, she was a student at EMU. She originally came to the school to become a teacher for young children, enrolling in the Early Childhood Education major. But, she soon realized that her passion for education came from writing about it, not teaching it.
After rearranging her schedule, she started taking Journalism classes and working for The Eastern Echo, where she wrote for three semesters.
Once she graduated, she wrote for the now defunct Ypsilanti Press as their education reporter. After the Ypsilanti Press, she wrote for a variety of newspapers, including The Citizen in upstate New York, the Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota, and the Kansas City Star in Missouri. She then moved back to Michigan to write about higher education for the Detroit News, where she has been for the past 25 years.
“I often think of journalism as one of the best jobs ever,” Kozlowski said. “We get to meet so many different people and share so many different stories. It can be demanding, but it’s so much fun at the end of the day…[it’s] humbling to be part of a service to our community, particularly in a democratic society.”
In reflecting on the profession, Kozlowski emphasized the importance of amplifying voices and informing the community on important issues.
“I often think of journalism as people who let you into their lives and let you talk to them, and without them we wouldn't have the story," Kozlowski said. "We were delivering the important message, the people were telling the story. Our work is so important to elevate the voices in our society of people who do want to make change and make the world a better place."
Kozlowski will be honored, along with Echo alums Joe Misiewicz and Kristy Montee, at The Eastern Echo’s third annual Student Media Gala.
The Student Media Gala will take place at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse on Thursday, March 27, and is the Echo’s opportunity to recognize the publication’s journalistic work over the past school year. The event will feature speeches from the inductees, an award ceremony for current reporters, a catered meal, and more.
Tickets are available at a discounted rate of $25 for students. All are welcome to attend this event. To purchase tickets, and learn more about the Gala, please visit the ticketing website.
Editor's note: This article has been edited to correct the title Kozlowski had at the Eastern Echo.
