Dean Treftz
A political guru who reported from the frontlines of the election's first battleground
What others are saying...
Stephen Berry, associate professor of journalism for the University of Iowa
Dean is the quintessential serious journalist, who lives and breathes journalism. He clearly understands the core watchdog mission of journalism, and he doesn’t shy away from tough stories.
He loves taking on complex topics that no other student journalist would dare to take. If it’s a boring topic, he’s not fazed, because he sees that as a personal challenge to figure out a way to make it interesting. Before he was a student of mine, he once came to me for advice about how to do a story on the impact of the sub-prime lending controversy on Johnson County. His idea came with one serious hitch – banks here rarely made sub-prime loans. You got me, I told him, trying to suggest that he should find another story. Undeterred, he turned out a nice piece in the Daily Iowan under the headline “Not quite subprime city” about the rising number of foreclosures under conventional loans.
Jennifer Seter Wagner, writing coach for The Daily Iowan
I have personally seen Dean interview presidential candidates, and can tell you that not only did he hold his own against professional newspaper reporters, but he was often better prepared. He could have a conversation with the candidate, as opposed to simply asking a question and writing the answer down.
Jason Brummond, editor-in-chief for The Daily Iowan
Dean led our coverage leading up to caucus and helped organize teams of reporters and photographers for the big night. We were supposed to be on winter break – a publishing break, too – but we put out an online edition with stories and photos that rivaled our completion.
Highlighted work
Not quite subprime city
Source | The Daily Iowan
Bill and Linda DeBrower don't have the typical story behind a foreclosure.
Ethanol may be harming roads
Source | The Daily Iowan
Rural roads in eastern Iowa are developing jostling ruts and becoming treacherous for drivers largely thanks to this winter's ice and snow. But an unlikely culprit may also be contributing - renewable energy.
Dems in dead heat before caucus
Source | The Daily Iowan
The leading three Democratic presidential-nomination hopefuls stormed across Iowa, making their last pitches, targeting undecided caucus-goers, and displaying sharpened elbows on the last day of 2007 and first of 2008.
Companies Shift More Donations To Democrats
Source | The Wall Street Journal
For the new Democratic bosses in the House, power has quickly translated into money, as many big companies have shifted more of their campaign contributions to the new congressional majority, and away from longtime Republican allies.
