Wartburg College student media received two first places for overall excellence and four other top honors among 20 awards from the Society for Collegiate Journalists.
The Trumpet captured first place in the Newspaper Overall Excellence weekly category, while KWAR-FM took first for Radio News Show Overall Excellence among the awards announced April 6.
In addition, the Circuit, on online news site, The Trumpet and KWAR each had second places for excellence in online media and Wartburg Television was third in TV News Show Overall Excellence.
Among the individual awards, WTV’s Shelby Granath ’13 had two firsts and a second, while Andrew Bridgewater ’12 had a first and two seconds. KWAR’s Tristan Gardner ’13 took a first.
“I am extremely proud of our students and their work,” said Dr. Penni Pier, chair of the communication arts department. “In a year of change and transition, we have had unprecedented success as a department.”
The SCJ is the nation’s oldest collegiate journalism society. Wartburg’s chapter, the oldest in Iowa, was formed in 1949.
“As a former longtime broadcast journalist in Iowa,” said Cliff Brockman, associate professor of communication arts, “I know that Wartburg has had a reputation for many years of producing quality journalists, and we have a high placement rate of graduates because of that.”
Following is a complete list of Wartburg’s SCJ award recipients:
Overall Excellence Awards
- Newspaper Overall Excellence, weekly or less — first, The Trumpet, Al Strain ’12, editor
- TV News Show Overall Excellence — third, WTV8, Bridgewater, station manager
- Radio News Show Overall Excellence — first, KWAR, Jim Krajewski ’12 and Gretta Stark ’12, co-news directors
Newspaper Design, Wartburg Trumpet
- Front Page, design and content — second, Matt Cunard ’12
- Editorial Page, design and content — second, Abbie Baker ’12
- Sports Page, design and content — third, Strain
- News Page, design and content — third, Cunard
- Feature Page, design and content — third, Hannah Cox ’13
Individual Writing, Wartburg Trumpet
- News Stories, excluding sports — third, Cox
- Column or Commentary — third, Cunard
Online Media
- Online News Website Overall Excellence — second, The Circuit
- Companion Newspaper Website Overall Excellence — second, The Trumpet
- Internet Radio Overall Excellence — second, KWAR
Broadcast (WTV8)
- News Package —first, “Wartburg Drill,” Bridgewater; second, “Diversity Enrollment,” Granath
- Feature Package — first, “Dance Marathon,” Granath; second, “Scouting for Food,” Bridgewater
- Sports Package — first, “SportsKnight,” Granath; second, “WSR Wrestling,” Bridgewater
Radio (KWAR)
- Promotion, Commercial, or Public Announcement — first, “Staff Promo,” Gardner