Student Media Wins Top Awards, Finalist in Journalism Competitions

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SHC Student Media once again took top honors and one story named a “finalist” in two recent collegiate journalism competitions.

Student work earned five awards in the Catholic Media Association’s St. Juan Diego Collegiate Awards, including three first-place wins:

  • First Place, Best Video- Single Episode Category: “Residence Hall Concerns,” Natalie Williamson, reporter
  • Seond Place, Best Video- Single Episode Category: “Dating App Safety,” Summer Poole, reporter
  • Honorable Mention, Best Video- Single Episode Category:  “Spring Hill Now 11-17-22 newscast,” Carson Reeves producer, Kira Babiarz director
  • First Place, Best Presentation of Faith- Video Category: “Blackout Event,” Beau Reed reporter
  • First Place, Best Video- Series Category: “Graffiti Response Coverage,” Natalie Williamson reporter

This is the third year in a row that SHC Student Media staff and the student media video newscast “Spring Hill Now” have won top awards in the CMA competition.

“As a program, SHC Student Media has been gradually raising the bar over the past few years,” said Chairman of the Division of Communication, Visual & Performing Arts Dr. Stuart Babington, Ph.D.

“The 2023 awards list from Catholic Student Media is once again demonstrating the thorough and accurate work of collegiate communicators at Spring Hill. I congratulate the student-reporters and student-managers, as well as student-media advisors Gary Wolverton and Bill Rowan for another great year,” Babington added.

The CMA announced the winner’s list on June 10.

In addition to winning first place in the St. Juan Diego awards, Williamson’s “Resident Hall Concerns” report was a finalist in “Television General News Reporting” category in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Awards. Her story was judged against colleges and universities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The Mark of Excellence Awards winners were announced April 10.

The winning entries and other student media stories can be seen on the SHC Student Media YouTube channel.