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