Listening to Mike Stanton talk about his lifelong career in journalism is a lot like reading one of his stories. He speaks in simple sentences, rich with details and colorful observations that draw you in. Storytelling seems second nature to the Pulitzer Prize-winner and associate professor of journalism.

That was not always the case. Growing up in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Stanton was a shy kid. His vivid imagination and love of reading are what led him to start writing, he says. Telling stories and a career in journalism naturally followed. During his nearly 30 years at the Providence Journal, he worked on one blockbuster story after another, either on his own or as part of a team.

At 59, his quiet demeanor belies a reputation for hard-nosed investigative reporting that has toppled corrupt politicians, crooked judges, and big-time Mafia wise guys. Stanton has a steely resolve when it comes to digging up facts and exposing wrongdoing.

Read the full story at magazine.uconn.edu.