Award-winning journalist and Meridian native Robbie Ward recently joined The Meridian Star as a reporter.

Ward, 39, has worked at newspapers throughout the state including Tupelo and Vicksburg, and in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Most recently, he taught high school English in Beaufort County, South Carolina.

He has a master’s degree in public policy and administration from Mississippi State University and a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi and attended classes at Meridian Community College.

Ward will cover topics related to education and nonprofit organizations at The Star.

He received recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists in 2014 for work that led the city of Tupelo to create a policy to archive and maintain electronic communication such as text messages to comply with state public records law. Also, Ward’s reporting on a Lee County rural water association led to a U.S. Department of Labor investigation that resulted in employees compensated for time worked but not paid.

While in Starkville, Ward created and produced the Johnny Cash Flower Pickin’ Festival for three years, an event recognizing the country music singer’s 1965 arrest in the city. The event was covered by news organizations including The New York Times, BBC, and National Public Radio.

Ward runs marathons and plans to complete a race in each state within a decade. He can be reached at rward@themeridianstar.com and followed on Twitter at @r0bbie_ward.