Jessica Birthisel | April 27, 2011
 |
| Photo by Thomas Miller |
| IU students who won awards in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program celebrated Tuesday night at a special dinner in their honor. Front row from left are Rachel Stark, Sarah Hutchins, Caitlin Johnston, Danielle Paquette, Caitlin Keating, Mickey Woods and CJ Lotz. Second row from left are Peter Stevenson and Sean Morrison. |
In his remarks during the dinner Tuesday, Dean of the School of Journalism Brad Hamm noted that this was the school’s third national championship, but the fact that two of those were achieved in the last back-to-back years is truly extraordinary.
“You never know when that might happen again,” said Hamm to the students, editors, advisers and staff members gathered. “Those things are rare, and you’re the group to do it.”
Hamm said that during his recent travels for the School of Journalism centennial events, alumni all around the country have been celebrating the championship.
“I hope you are as proud as we are,” said Hamm.
Three of the students attending the celebration are not yet through the competition. Caitlin Johnston, Caitlin Keating and Danielle Paquette are three of eight national winners who will compete in San Francisco in June in the national writing competition.
Paquette, a junior who took first place in the personality/profile category for her piece, "The shepherd's lamb," said she was shocked but “incredibly honored” when she found out about her top finish. She says she just finished a position with CNN.com that has helped her prepare for the June championship competition, which includes on-the-spot reporting assignments.
“Now I just need to get mentally prepared,” said Paquette, who credited Riley visiting professor Tom French’s mentoring as a key part of her success.
Johnston, a senior who earned a third place finish in last year’s personality/profile competition, won first place this year in the opinion category for “The home front,” a piece that ran in Inside magazine about her Marine brother’s deployment to Afghanistan. She says French is guiding her through what she called the “Hearst bootcamp” to prepare for June’s competition.
This training includes developing a San Francisco network of sources, contacting journalists in the area, and taking part in exercises on how to identify approachable and interesting people to interview.
“I’m simultaneously excited and terrified for the whole competition,” said Johnston. “I feel ready, but you’re not going to know what to expect until you get there. I’m going to take what I’ve learned these last four years, go in and try to kick butt.”
Regardless of how she places, Johnston said the experience will be great deadline reporting practice.
Paquette said she was most looking forward to spending time in San Francisco with other top-notch collegiate journalists.
“We all have the same passions,” said Paquette.
Director of Student Media Ron Johnson praised the winners as well as their IDS and Inside editors for their excellent work.
“IU is a very special place,” said Johnson, who said that the collaboration between IU publications and classroom training is the envy of other college newsrooms around the country.
IDS adviser Ruth Witmer said she can’t wait to see the stories the winning students produce in the future. She also passed on the message that French, who was unable to attend the dinner, was “incredibly proud” of the students.
This year’s Hearst competition drew 639 entries from students around the nation competing in six writing divisions. The contest also has divisions for broadcast, photography and multimedia.
Students who win the first three places receive scholarships, and schools accumulating the most points based on student performance receive matching grants. IU will win $10,000 and a medallion for its first place overall in the writing competition.
More:
Questions? Comments? Email the Web editor.
