USM Student Media Center Receives Journalism Awards
Thu, 04/07/2022 - 01:37pm | By: Ivonne Kawas
Student journalists for the Southern Miss Media Center (SM2) at The University at
Southern Mississippi’s School of Communication collected 47 awards across recent college
journalism competitions, including sweeping the radio and television sports categories
for the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters.
"We never do stories to win awards, but the recognition our students have received going up against the best programs in the state and the South show what we've always known, that our students not only can compete against the best; they are the best,” said Dr. Edgar Simpson, Director of the School of Communication.
At the Mississippi Press Association’s O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference luncheon, held in Jackson last month, the Student Printz, the weekly newspaper of the Student Media Center, won second place for general excellence; the newspaper also won staff awards for Best Design, Best Website, Best Graphics and Best Use of Social Media; and staff members swept the “Use of Video” category, winning all three awards.
In addition, at the Southeast Journalism Conference “Best of the South” annual awards presentation held via a live-stream, SMTV, SM2’s weekly television news program, won third best newscast and the Student Printz fourth best newspaper.
At the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters’ annual Excellence in Broadcasting awards banquet in Jackson held this month, both WUSM-FM’s weekly sports program, “4th Street Sports,” and SMTV’s weekly sports recap show each won first, second and third place awards.
Altogether, SM2 students won nine awards from the Southeast Journalism Conference “Best of the South” contest, 15 from the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters and 23 from the Mississippi Press Association.
Among the top individual winners were Charlie Luttrell, SM2 Executive News Director, who won four awards from the Mississippi Press Association and one each from the Southeast Journalism Conference and the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters, and Austin Lindsey, SM2 Sports Director, won six awards from the Mississippi Press Association and the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters.
As the Executive News Director, Luttrell expressed his excitement about the work being produced and says, “I'm proud of all the hard work that we have done at SM2 this year. We undertook a big commitment of converging our newspaper, radio and starting a new TV program this year and we are still learning how to do so each day. These awards help reinforce that what we are doing is making an impact in our community and is respected by the professionals in our industry.”
“It's been a pleasure to watch our upperclassmen take leadership in this endeavor and watch our underclassmen take initiative the way they have. What we built this year was truly amazing to be a part of and I'm proud that we have a moment to reflect on all of our hard work and accomplishments," he said.
Individual winners in the Mississippi Press Association’s O.C. McDavid Journalism Awards included:
Charles Arnold
Second place, Sports Feature Story
Garrett Grove
Third place, Series or Investigative Package
Third place, Use of Video
Marissa Haas
Second place, Graphics
Sarah Koeman
First place, Use of Video
Austin Lindsey
First place, Advertisement
Third place, Feature Photo
Charlie Luttrell
First place, General News Photo
First place, Sports Photo
Second place, Feature Photo
Third place, Sports News Story
Dima Mixon
Second place, Use of Video
Mary Murphy
First place, Editorials
Second place, General News Story
Larceny Rogers
Second place, Advertisement
Sean Smith
Second place, Spot News Photo
Third place, Sports Photo
Dipping Subedi
Second place, Editorials
Brian Winters
Second place, Feature Story
Individual winners in the Southeast Journalism Conference “Best of the South” Awards included:
Sarah Kofman
Third place, Best TV Feature Reporter
Charlie Luttrell
Third place, Best Sports Writer
Koby Moore
Second place, Best Radio Journalist
Mary Murphy
First place, Best Newspaper Layout and Design
Larensy Rogers
Second place, Best Advertisement
Sean Smith
Second place, Best Photographer
Joseph Weishaar
Third place, Best Artist/Illustrator
Individual winners of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters Annual Excellence in Broadcasting Awards included:
Scarlett Gully
Two first place awards for a pair of Radio Feature Stories
Garret Grove
First place, second place and third place awards for Television TV Reporter, Radio News Story, and Television Continuing Coverage, respectively
Sarah Kofman
Second place, Television Feature Story
Austin Lindsey
Two firsts and a second place for Television Sportscast
Second place, Television Sports Story
Charlie Luttrell
First place, Television Sports Story
Koby Moore
First place, Radio Sports Story
“Congratulations to our Southern Miss Student Media Center professionals—Chuck Cook, Wilbur Martin, and Jonathan McGowan—for their amazing work with the students. Nothing happens without them,” said Simpson.
To learn more about the SM2 visit: usm.edu/communication/student-media-center.php
About the Southern Miss Student Media Center
The Southern Miss Student Media Center is the voice of USM students. This is where students collaborate with professional staff and their faculty advisers to create, inspire and inform. It is made up of five divisions: The Student Printz weekly newspaper and website; SMTV and it’s weekly television news program; WUSM-FM radio with 24-hour programming that includes a daily, one-hour news program; and SM2 Creative that handles video production, live-streaming and graphic design; and SM2 Strategic Communication that includes advertising sales, social media and marketing.