Justin Diep

Journalism, advertising and public relations, and broadcasting-media production triple major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

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About Me

I'm a senior journalism student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and news intern at the Lincoln Journal Star.

I serve as an assistant news editor and photographer at The Daily Nebraskan. I lead coverage of the NU Board of Regents and university administration, including breaking stories on UNL's budget cuts in 2025 using leaked internal documents. As a photographer, I've covered spot news, political rallies, concerts and Husker Athletics including Nebraska Volleyball at the semifinals at the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

I also serve as a videographer for Jacht, a student-run advertising agency, producing brand storytelling and marketing content for clients.

My earlier experience includes internships at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where I reported on the aftermath of a jail riot; the Omaha World-Herald, where I collaborated on coverage of an ICE raid at an Omaha meatpacking plant and its aftermath; and Enterprise Media Group, where I was selected for UNL's Rural Nebraska Journalism Program to report across eastern Nebraska and western Iowa. I previously was a marketing intern at E & A Consulting Group, a civil engineering firm in Omaha.

I got my start in journalism at Omaha Bryan High School, first taking photos for The Crusader yearbook and later reporting, editing and designing The Orator newspaper. I was named the 2023 Nebraska High School Journalist of the Year during my senior year.

Awards & Recognition

2026

Pinnacle Awards Finalist, Investigative Story

College Media Association — "UNL used bad data to make $27.5 million cuts, faculty say"

2026

Story of the Year Finalist, In-Depth News Story

Associated Collegiate Press — "UNL used bad data to make $27.5 million cuts, faculty say"

2026

Student Excellence in Written Reporting (Honorable Mention)

Asian American Journalists Association — "Most of the workers rounded up by ICE at Omaha food plant had no prior criminal history"

2026

Student Production Award

National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Heartland Region — Joyrager - Dooya? (Music Video)

2023

Nebraska High School Journalist of the Year

Featured Work

St. Louis Post-Dispatch July 13, 2026

Guards left inmates roaming free in St. Louis County jail, made riot worse, report says

Lives in the Balance June 15, 2026

Chaos and confusion inside Omaha's Immigration Court

The Daily Nebraskan · Oct. 31, 2025

UNL used bad data to make $27.5 million cuts, faculty say

Pinnacle Awards Finalist, Investigative Story · Story of the Year Finalist, In-Depth News Story

Omaha World-Herald · June 21, 2025

Most of Omaha ICE raid detainees had no criminal record

Student Excellence in Written Reporting (Honorable Mention) · Asian American Journalists Association

St. Louis Post-Dispatch June 4, 2026

Man smashes 5 windows in 2 nights at Steve’s Hot Dogs. Owner isn’t mad at him

Omaha World-Herald April 18, 2026

McCook ICE detention center below contracted capacity months after opening

The Daily Nebraskan Feb. 11, 2026

Epstein says University of Nebraska, Creighton ‘not good places’

Nebraska News Service Dec. 16, 2025

Sen. Margo Juarez’s battle with Nebraska Gov. Pillen over McCook ICE detention center

Omaha World-Herald Aug. 11, 2025

Horizon Biofuels plant had dust complaints before fatal explosion

Omaha World-Herald June 11, 2025

Nebraska Public Media warns Trump cuts ‘most serious threat’ ever faced by local broadcasting

Lincoln Journal Star May 8, 2025

Nebraska priest was at Vatican to witness history: The first American pope

The Daily Nebraskan April 8, 2025

Nebraska lawmakers shut down winner-take-all bill, ‘blue dot’ survives

Photography

A selection of moments captured from Nebraska Athletics to breaking news and community events.

A Lincoln Fire & Rescue firefighter douses smoldering debris at a lumber yard near the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Lincoln. The fire damaged a nearby home and a few university vehicles.

Protester at Nebraska Union — A protester sits on a rock outside the Nebraska Union by Broyhill Fountain on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, in Lincoln. The protest was held all day to advocate for arrested university protesters, the loss of civilian lives in Gaza and the West Bank and for the University of Nebraska system to be more transparent with funds and grants from Israel.

Anti-Trump protest — Demonstrators gather outside the Nebraska Republican Party Headquarters for an anti-Trump protest on Saturday, April 19, 2025 in Lincoln, Neb. Protests took place in cities all over the the United States as part of the 50501—50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.

Project 2025 Protests — Dan Lued waves a heart flag outside the Nebraska State Capitol to demonstrate against Project 2025 and President Donald Trump’s policies on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025, in Lincoln. Protests took place in cities across the United States as part of the 50501—50 protests: 50 states, 1 movement.

A person in a Make America Great Again hat holds flowers at a Charlie Kirk vigil outside the Nebraska Union on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025 in Lincoln. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed at Utah Valley University Wednesday, Sept. 10.

Paul Barnes piano — Reflected in the raised lid of a piano, UNL Professor of Piano Paul Barnes performs an outdoor set inside the Richard Serra sculpture "Greenpoint" on Wednesday, May 1, 2024. The pop-up performance kicked off the Lincoln Calling music and arts festival, featuring works by composer Philip Glass as a tribute to the late sculptor.

Camden Chadwell, 12, left, and Lila Chadwell, 3, blow horns at each other at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium’s Noon Year's Eve celebration. The event offered an early alternative for families with young children to ring in 2026.

Dogs run around Off Leash Dog Bar on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, in Lincoln.

Nebraska Basketball Court Storming — Nebraska’s Jared Garcia (15) celebrates winning the game against Michigan State as fans storm the field at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Lincoln.

Nebraska Football — Nebraska’s Nyziah Hunter (13) runs the ball into the end zone without one of his cleats during the fourth quarter of the game against Michigan State at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Lincoln.

Nebraska Volleyball — Nebraska’s Laney Choboy (6) wipes her face off after losing the NCAA regional semifinals against Texas A&M at the Bob Devaney Sports Center on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2025, in Lincoln.

Nebraska Men's Basketball — Nebraska's Berke Büyüktuncel (9) dunks the ball during the second half of the game against West Georgia at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Lincoln.

Nebraska Basketball — Nebraska's Sam Hoiberg (1) jumps to shoot the ball during the second half of the game against North Dakota at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Lincoln.

Pinnacle Bank Arena AVCA — A look at Pinnacle Bank Arena during AVCA tournament match between Nebraska and Stanford on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, in Lincoln.

Joyrager Performance — Joyrager performs at UPC’s Battle of the Bands at the Bourbon Theater, 1415 O St., on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 in Lincoln. Joyrager and Hold Your Breath were voted as the winners of Battle of the Bands.

Mauricio Aguilera-Ortiz of Hold Your Breath performs at Battle of the Bands at the Bourbon Theater on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025 in Lincoln. Hold your Breath and Joyrager were voted as the winners of Battle of the Bands.

Social Cinema performs at Bodega’s Alley for night four of Lincoln Exposed on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Lincoln.

The Mercy City Church worship team perform during the Faith Revival Night at East Stadium Loop on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Lincoln. Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola and Mercy City Church put on the event to get more people connected to their faith.

Video

Run-Hide-Fight Active Shooter Preparedness

I directed this educational video for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Police Department as part of a class project in the Production House experience lab. The video promotes campus safety by detailing the "Run, Hide, Fight" active shooter response strategy.

On the Border: Sherry Wounded Foot's Story

I assisted with filming an in-depth investigative reporting documentary led by Marissa Lindemann and Olivia Reed, and published by Nebraska News Service. Lindemann and Reed created the documentary for an in-depth reporting class on murdered and missing marginalized women. Specifically, I was brought on to help capture interviews and b-roll during their trip to Pine Ridge, South Dakota.

*The documentary received an Award of Excellence from the Broadcast Education Association On Location.

Joyrager - Dooya?

This music video won a Student Production Award from the Heartland Region of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).

Projects

Nebraska State Contracts

A searchable database of Nebraska state contracts. I built a scraper that pulls contracts and purchase orders from the Nebraska State Contracts Database — over 700,000 records across 92 state agencies, boards, commissions and the University of Nebraska and Nebraska State College systems — and publishes them into an easily searchable site.

Open the database Source on GitHub

Let's Connect

I'm always looking for new reporting opportunities and creative collaborations. Drop me a line below.