School of Media News

Four WKU students have been honored in writing and multimedia competitions in the 2017-2018 Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

Nicole Ares, a May graduate from Versailles, finished second in the Enterprise Reporting competition and received a $2,000 award. Michelle Hanks, a senior from Chattanooga, Tennessee, finished sixth.

Sawyer Smith, a May graduate from Louisville, finished fourth in the Multimedia I/Narrative Storytelling – Features Competition and received a $1,000 award. Nick Wagner, a May graduate from Ada, Minnesota, finished eighth.

WKU’s School of Journalism & Broadcasting receives matching grant awards.

After the second of five writing competitions, WKU is third behind Indiana University and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

After the first of four multimedia competitions, WKU is third behind University of Nebraska-Lincoln and University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

Often called “The Pulitzers of college journalism,” the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, in its 58th year, five writing, two photojournalism, one radio, two television, and four multimedia competitions offering up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends; 105 member universities of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication with accredited undergraduate journalism programs are eligible to participate in the Hearst competitions.

In 2016-17, WKU won the Hearst Intercollegiate Photojournalism Competition for the 23rd time in the past 28 years, won the Hearst Intercollegiate Multimedia Competition for the sixth consecutive years and finished third overall – its eighth consecutive top five national ranking. WKU has finished in the top eight of the Hearst competition for 24 straight years, including national championships in 2000, 2001 and 2005.

WKU students have won 15 Hearst individual national championships since 1985 — photojournalism in 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2016; multimedia in 2015; writing in 1985; and radio news in 2006.

Contact: School of Journalism & Broadcasting, (270) 745-4144