Award-winning journalist PJ Randhawa to deliver Northeastern Illinois University December 2025 Commencement Address

The seven-time Emmy Award winner and Northeastern alumna will speak to graduates on Dec. 14

CHICAGO, Dec. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Northeastern Illinois University's December 2025 Commencement will feature award-winning investigative reporter PJ Randhawa.

The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 14, at Credit Union 1 Arena, 525 S. Racine Ave., in Chicago. Tickets are required and made available only to graduates and their guests. The ceremony will be livestreamed at neiu.edu/commencement.

As the daughter of immigrant parents who settled in Canada from India, Randhawa came to Northeastern as an international student and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, Media and Theatre in 2008. Randhawa then obtained a master's degree in journalism from DePaul University. In 2025, Randhawa proudly became a U.S. citizen, and she and her husband had their first child.

"Like many Northeastern students, PJ found a strong sense of community and mentorship at NEIU," said Northeastern President Katrina E. Bell-Jordan, Ph.D. "Faculty describe her as dedicated, inquisitive and exceptionally hardworking, noting that she consistently went above and beyond in her academic pursuits."

Randhawa is currently the Consumer Investigative Reporter for NBC 5 Responds. Previously, she was a political reporter in Columbia, South Carolina; a Morning News Anchor in Rapid City, South Dakota; a Lead Investigative Reporter at KSDK in St. Louis; and the Investigative Race and Equity Reporter for KING 5 News in Seattle. During her time at KSDK, her investigative reporting exposed corruption in police departments, mismanagement in city and state departments, and helped get new laws on the books surrounding sexual assault and cyber stalking.

In addition to her seven regional Emmy Awards, Randhawa was named a 2023 DuPont Finalist and has won two regional Edward R. Murrow Awards, a 2022 Crystal Mic for "Best Reporter" from the Illinois News Broadcasters Association, four Society of Professional Journalists Awards for News Excellence, a 2023 National Excellence in Journalism Award from NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, an International Sikh Award for political reporting, and several Missouri Broadcast Awards. On Jan. 14, 2022, the City of St. Louis declared the day "PJ Randhawa Day" for the positive changes that resulted from her investigations.

"PJ's commitment to ethical storytelling, advocacy and public service reflects the values we uphold at Northeastern Illinois University," said President Bell-Jordan. "Her achievements make her an inspiring choice to address our graduates as they prepare for meaningful leadership and service in their communities."

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ABOUT NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Northeastern Illinois University offers more than 40 undergraduate degree and certificate programs and more than 50 graduate degree, certificate, licensure and endorsement programs. The Main Campus is located on 67 acres in an attractive residential area on the Northwest Side of Chicago. Founded in 1867, Northeastern is a Minority-Serving Institution and the longest-standing four-year public Hispanic-Serving Institution in the Midwest. The University has additional Chicagoland locations, including the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, El Centro, and the University Center of Lake County.

SOURCE Northeastern Illinois University