Recognizing Nicole Noren with the 2026 Lauren McCluskey Award for Distinguished Response
We are proud to announce that award-winning journalist and documentary filmmaker Nicole Noren will receive the 2026 Lauren McCluskey Award for Distinguished Response at our Safety at Sunset awareness dinner and auction on October 30 in Salt Lake City.
The Lauren McCluskey Award for Distinguished Response recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding dedication to improving safety on college campuses and supporting victims of crime through their professional and personal efforts.
A recipient of six Emmys, two Edward R. Murrow Awards, and a Peabody Award, Nicole Noren has spent her career producing investigative journalism that amplifies underrepresented voices, holds institutions accountable, and brings greater attention to critical social issues. She produced more than 50 investigative reports and short documentaries for ESPN and now leads her own production company.
Her 2023 investigative documentary, LISTEN, examined the circumstances surrounding Lauren McCluskey’s murder and the institutional failures that preceded it. The documentary premiered on ESPN and was the subject of an ABC 20/20 special. It has been viewed more than 6 million times on YouTube and is now used by law enforcement agencies and schools across the country as a training tool.
LISTEN was also recognized by 3 major national journalism competitions, including the Investigative Reporters & Editors Awards, the National Awards for Education Reporting, and the Associated Press Sports Editors Awards.
Nicole Noren will be honored during the Lauren McCluskey Foundation’s third annual Utah Safety At Sunset dinner and auction on October 30, 2026, title sponsored by Parker & McConkie. The event will be hosted at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Alumni House at the University of Utah. The evening brings together supporters to celebrate Lauren’s legacy and raise critical funding for the Foundation’s work to improve the response to relationship violence and stalking on college campuses.
We are honored to recognize Nicole Noren for the extraordinary impact of her work and for helping ensure that Lauren’s story continues to drive meaningful change.
