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WIU Broadcasting and Journalism alumnus Alex Degman ('08) was recently featured on NPR’s Here & Now and All Things Considered for his reporting on Chicago’s response to extreme heat and climate change.
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WIU Alumnus Alex Degman Featured on NPR's 'Here & Now' For Climate Reporting

July 10, 2026

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MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University Broadcasting and Journalism alumnus Alex Degman (‘08), of Chicago, IL, recently had his reporting featured nationally on NPR's Here & Now and All Things Considered, highlighting how lessons learned from Chicago's devastating 1995 heat wave continue to shape the city's response to extreme heat and climate change.

"I'm lucky to have a job that gives me the flexibility to tell stories and guide people through the news of the day in Chicago, while also bringing those stories to a national audience from time to time," Degman said. "I knew when I started radio news reporting at Western and WIUM that I'd get here someday. Now that I'm here, I'm truly loving it."

The story, "Lessons learned from a decades-old heat tragedy help Chicago and other cities," aired July 1 and examines how local governments have adapted emergency preparedness efforts as rising temperatures contribute to more frequent and intense heat waves. The report was produced by Degman, a reporter for WBEZ Chicago and distributed nationally through NPR.

Degman, who holds two bachelor of Arts degrees, explores how Chicago's response to extreme heat has evolved over the past three decades, including expanded cooling resources, updated building requirements and long-term climate planning designed to reduce the impacts of dangerous summer temperatures. The report also examines how climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of extreme heat events.

Degman's reporting reached a nationwide audience through NPR's Here & Now and All Things Considered, two of the network's flagship news programs, further showcasing the work of the Western Illinois University graduate in covering issues affecting communities across the Midwest and beyond.

For more information or to read the full article, visit go.wiu.edu/4vPFYe9.

For more information on WIU's Broadcasting and Journalism program, visit go.wiu.edu/3QJRTv6.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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