From Staff Reports
The Northwestern News won 28 awards, including 14 first-place awards, during the annual Oklahoma Collegiate Media Association conference on April 13.
The News garnered more awards than any other collegiate newspaper in the Diamond Division, which includes other small universities in Oklahoma. Editor-in-Chief Jordan Green was named the Diamond Division Journalist of the Year for the second year in a row.
The conference took place at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Collegiate journalists from across the Sooner State heard from guest speakers, discussed their newspapers’ work and accepted awards for work done in the 2022 calendar year.
“The News team is honored and humbled by the kind recognition we’ve received for our student journalism here at Northwestern,” Green said. “We work hard to produce a newspaper that serves our Ranger community, and we’ve remained dedicated to our mission. Although we do not write stories, take pictures and sell advertisements with the goal of winning awards, we are grateful that people appreciate what we do.”
The News won first place in front page design and interior page design. Its enterprise and investigative reporting team won first place for reporting on the university’s scholarship system, including its scholarship cap. The reporting was published in the spring 2022 semester.
The investigative team includes Caitlin Hofen, a senior mass communication major from Alva who serves as the News’ feature and entertainment editor; Dylan Whitely, a December 2022 mass communication graduate from Alva; Joshua Hinton, a senior mass communication major from Pond Creek; Benjamin Kliewer, a senior mass communication major from Mountain View; Austin Morton, a 2022 mass communication graduate; and Jara Reeder, a mass communication senior from Elk City.
Eleven students won first, second or third place awards for their work at the News. Those students and the awards they won are listed here.
FIRST PLACE:
- Colby Dalton, the News’ former photo editor: news photography, photography portfolio and feature photography
- J.D. Eddy, a graduate student from Tuttle who serves as the News’ editorial editor: editorial writing and sports photography
- Jordan Green, a senior mass communication major from Blackwell: Diamond Division 2023 Journalist of the Year, reporting portfolio, general news and reporting, enterprise/investigative reporting individual and column writing
- Caitlin Hofen: feature writing
- Cade Kennedy, a junior mass communication major from Alva who serves as the News’ sports editor: sports reporting
SECOND PLACE:
- Colby Dalton: feature photography
- Derrick Galindo, a mass communication major from Alva who serves as the News’ advertising manager: advertising
- Caitlin Hofen: feature writing, reporting portfolio, column writing and enterprise/investigative reporting individual
- Jordan Green: news photography
THIRD PLACE:
- J.D. Eddy: sports photography
- Derrick Galindo: advertising
- Caitlin Hofen: reviews and feature writing
- Cade Kennedy: sports reporting and column writing
Green’s award factored in his reporting and leadership of the Northwestern News, which has earned numerous statewide honors in collegiate newspaper competitions. His application for the award included a selection of stories he has written and an essay about the role a newspaper should play in serving its community.
Green congratulated the News team members for their dedication to and passion for journalism.
“The people on the News team are some of my best friends, and I have been blessed to get to work alongside them to provide our campus with high-quality journalism,” Green said. “They have told stories that have made positive differences on our campus and connected our campus through words, photos, advertisements, you name it. I can’t express how awesome this team is. They’re some of the most talented, caring people I have ever known.”
Dr. Kaylene Armstrong, the Northwestern News adviser, said: “I have been fortunate to work with an extremely dedicated staff of students, who have been tireless in their efforts to provide the campus with the best news product possible. These awards validate that work. I am so proud of all of them.”
The News is published on Thursdays throughout the school year and is hiring new staff members for next year. Northwestern students do not have to be mass communication majors to work for the paper.
To read the latest news, visit https://northwesternnews.rangerpulse.com/. To learn more about the Northwestern mass communication program, visit https://www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/communication/mass-communication.