School of Journalism wins writing award
Hearst program awards school $15,800
Published on Fri., April 13th, 2007
The University of Kansas may have lost basketball bragging rights this year, but the School of Journalism won the national championship in writing, placing first in the 47th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program intercollegiate writing competition.
The School of Journalism was awarded $15,800 for its accomplishments, and the student entries resulted in $5,200 for the individuals.
“Once again, KU journalism students have shown that this University traditionally excels at the highest levels in areas other than basketball,” said Ted Frederickson, professor of journalism. “Since the Hearst Awards are highly competitive and recognize only exceptional reporting and writing, finishing first is a major accomplishment.”
The University of Missouri came in second place and Arizona State University placed third. A total of 107 accredited schools of undergraduate journalism participated in the competition.
The School of Journalism was awarded $15,800 for its accomplishments, and the student entries resulted in $5,200 for the individuals.
The placings are based on the accumulation of points in six writing competitions: profile writing, sports writing, in-depth writing, spot news writing, feature writing and opinion writing.
Each eligible university can submit two students’ work in each category.
“It is a tribute to the quality of students and their professors that we finished first in the Hearst national intercollegiate writing contest,” said Ann Brill, dean of journalism. “We value excellence in writing and I’m proud that the Hearst judges found us to be the best among the accredited schools that participated.”
The University will occupy two of the eight spots in the National Writing Championship in San Francisco in June. Frank Tankard, Overland Park senior, who placed first in in-depth writing, and C.J. Moore, Shawnee senior, who placed second in sports writing and fifth in sport news writing, have a chance at winning more than $1,500 for competing.
Other students who contributed to KU’s first-place rank were Fred A. Davis III, Topeka senior, who placed ninth in profile writing and 17th in spot news writing; Michael Phillips, Wichita senior, who placed 12th in sports writing; Mark Vierthaler, Dodge City senior, who placed fifth in profile writing; and Katherine Loeck, Lincoln, Neb., junior, who placed 12th in opinion writing.
Davis’s story “Latter Day Stripper,” which ran in the May 10, 2006, issue of The University Daily Kansan, was about a University student who was a dancer at All Stars and was a practicing Mormon. He said the reporting experience was unlike any he’d done before.
“I’d been at strip clubs before, but not from a reporting standpoint,” Davis said. “You always get kind of strange looks with a note pad and pen while watching strippers.”
Kansan staff writer Danae DeShazer can be contacted at ddeshazer@kansan.com.
— Edited by Kelly Lanigan
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