Grace Smith is a fourth-year journalism and cinematic arts student at the University of Iowa, planning to graduate with a B.A. in May 2024. Smith is in her fourth year working for The Daily Iowan independent student-led newspaper. During her time at The Daily Iowan, Grace has led a team of photojournalists in her role as a photo editor in 2021 and 2022, as well as leading the 2022 summer staff as managing editor. Although she covers a variety of different assignments including sports and protests, Grace is very passionate about sharing in-depth visual stories of women in her community, including a mother struggling with the national baby formula shortage, a female farmer, and a firefighter paving the way for the future of women in the fire service. Grace hopes to continue telling important stories and making an impact on the communities she resides in.

Grace placed first in the Hearst Picture Story competition this year after working on a story about a joyful child living with a chronic illness. She also won Best Photographer, Best News Photo, and Best Sports Photo at the Iowa Newspaper Association Awards in February of 2023. Grace won the top Society of Professional Journalists award in General News Photography in June and attended the Eddie Adams Workshop in October of 2023.

Client List: the Denver Post, Getty Images, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Iowa City Press-Citizen, the Daily Iowan