Benbrook honored as Outstanding Young Alumni for national journalism career

Tuesday, February 3, 2026

Media Contact: Oklahoma State University | Department of Brand Management | 405-744-6260 | news@okstate.edu

From cheering in Boone Pickens Stadium to interviewing the president of the United States, Julia Benbrook’s path reflects the Cowboy Code’s call to “dream as big as the sky.”

Benbrook, a 2017 Oklahoma State University graduate and former Miss OSU, has built a career in national journalism that recently earned her recognition as an Outstanding Young Alumni honoree. Now a White House correspondent for CNN, Benbrook credits her OSU upbringing, both in the classroom and beyond.

Raised in Woodward, Oklahoma, Benbrook grew up surrounded by OSU traditions. Both of her parents are alumni, so she started attending football games and campus events in Stillwater early.

“OSU was always a part of our family,” Benbrook said. “It always felt like home, even before I was a student here.”

That sense of belonging carried into her time on campus, where she studied journalism at the School of Media and Strategic Communications. Benbrook immersed herself in campus life, including four years with the Pom Squad, experiences she said helped shape her confidence and sense of community.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the education I received, but just as grateful for the opportunities OSU gave me to try things, to walk into rooms I wasn’t sure I was ready for yet,” Benbrook said. “Those experiences taught me how growth really happens.”

After graduating, Benbrook began her career in Washington, D.C., covering politics from a local and regional perspective. She worked for Spectrum News, reporting on the Kentucky congressional delegation, often serving as her own producer, videographer and on-air reporter.

“That job taught me how to be prepared for anything,” Benbrook said. “Some days you wake up thinking you’re covering one topic, and by the end of the day, you’ve covered three completely different stories.”

Now, as a White House correspondent, Benbrook operates at the center of global news coverage. Despite the high-profile nature of the role, she emphasizes that journalism remains grounded in fundamentals.

“My job is to inform people,” she said. “It’s about facts, context and accuracy, so people can form their own opinions.”

Despite her demanding schedule, Benbrook remains closely connected to OSU. She and her husband, Zach Baden, also an OSU alumnus, return to Stillwater whenever possible, including for major athletic events and campus traditions. She also regularly returns to host the Women of OSU Symposium, an experience she describes as one of her most meaningful ties to the university.

“Getting to meet students and bring in speakers who are doing incredible things, that’s one of my favorite events,” Benbrook said. “It’s a reminder of how special this place is.”

Representing OSU on a national stage is something Benbrook takes seriously, even in small ways.

“I try to celebrate Orange Fridays whenever I can, even at the White House,” she said. “Whether people know it or not, it’s important to me.”

As she continues her career covering history as it unfolds, Benbrook said her Cowboy roots remain a constant source of grounding and inspiration.

“OSU gave me the confidence to dream big and the support to take those steps,” she said. “No matter where I go, that’s something I carry with me.”

Story By: Summer Wilson | sumwils@okstate.edu