Winners of the 2011 Kentucky Intercollegiate Press Association contest were announced Saturday, Jan. 21, 2012 at the Embassy Suites in Lexington.
Advertising
Judged by Teresa Revlett, Kentucky Press Association
Advertising Art
A
First Place
Lauren Walker, University of Kentucky
The graphic in this ad definitely drew me into the ad. The message was clear and concise. Easy to read – good work!
Second Place
Alex Weires, Western Kentucky University
Although the artwork is big, it isn’t overpowering. The message is received, plus you did a good job showing what they have to offer.
Third Place
Taylor Collins, University of Kentucky
That’s a lot of information in a small space, but it is still easy to read. Nice graphic!
Honorable Mention
Adam Roberts, Morehead State University
Perfect graphic! It is easy to see what this ad is about from your art.
Melissa Pingley, Western Kentucky University
Nice thank you message
Advertising Art
B
First Place
Jennifer Godbey, Somerset Community College
Literally looks good enough to eat! That’s the point, right? Great idea.
Advertising Campaign
A
First Place
Aliesha Flora, Morehead State University
I really like the way you mixed up the bullet points each week. Very easy to read.
Second Place
Staff, Murray State University
Consistently letting us know where to get the info! Good plan!
Advertising Copy
A
First Place
Kelsey Spaulding, University of Kentucky
Great headline! Copy is short and to the point. Very effective.
Second Place
Aliesha Flora, Morehead State University
Good mix of copy sizes – variations make it easy to read.
Third Place
Jody Beamer, University of Kentucky
Great headline. That draws you into the ad. The rest of the copy is well written.
Honorable Mention
Kelly Modaff, Morehead State University
Lots of information in a small space. You made the best use of the size bought.
Advertising Copy
B
First Place
Julius Stallworth, Kentucky State University
Clearly the first place winner. Lots of information to get out, but very easy to ready and understand.
Second Place
Matt Attaway, Somerset Community College
The copy is easy to read, but I think it would be noticed more if the address was at the bottom and the message was at the top of the ad.
Third Place
Jennifer Godbey, Somerset Community College
Who doesn’t like an old fashion deli sandwich? Great ad!
Advertising Design
A
First Place
Taylor Collins, University of Kentucky
Beautiful design! All the elements of design are here – well balanced and easy to read. You did a good job mixing design and color.
Second Place
Alex Weires, Western Kentucky University
Great ad! I love the background. This one definitely jumps off the page.
Third Place
Nick Paxton, Murray State University
The art tells the story – very interesting choice of design.
Honorable Mention
Kelsey Spaulding, University of Kentucky
Great use of a photo in an ad. Not much copy needed when you have that kind of graphic.
Alex Weires, Western Kentucky University
Copy is very easy to read over the cool background. Nice work!
Advertising Design
B
First Place
Jennifer Godbey, Somerset Community College
Love this ad! Great photo makes the ad stand out on the page.
Second Place
Kacie Goode, Lindsey Wilson College
I would have liked to have seen the specials in a little larger type. This may have been a first place ad with just a slight alteration, but great use of color, art and copy.
Third Place
Julius Stallworth, Kentucky State University
I really like the map! Lots of good information can be found in this ad. It’s all easy to read thanks to your variations in color and size.
Honorable Mention
Matt Attaway, Somerset Community College
The message could stand to be just a little larger.
Best House Ad
A
First Place
Kelsey Spaulding, University of Kentucky
This ad just shows what can be accomplished in a small space ad. Nice job!
Second Place
Alex Weires, Western Kentucky University
Excellent ad! Really like the question mark face. If that doesn’t make you want to read the ad I don’t know what will!
Third Place
Steven Charny, Western Kentucky University
Very creative right brainer ad! Lots going on!
Honorable Mention
Jody Beamer, University of Kentucky
Great play on words! Graphic is fabulous!
Aliesha Flora, Morehead State University
Shading makes the ad stand out on the page.
Best House Ad
B
First Place
Kacie Goode, Lindsey Wilson College
What a clever idea! I really like the word find idea!
Second Place
Emily Lindeau, Northern Kentucky University
Very easy to read. Nice layout.
Design
Judged by Jeff Breaux, Vanderbilt Student Communications
Feature Page Layout
A
First Place
Spring 2011 Staff, Western Kentucky University
Great, clean design with very mature use of white space. Very polished layout. Great job not trying to do too much with all of the elements on the page. Great photos and good font choice.
Second Place
Andy Burress, University of Kentucky
Very nice illustration and placement on page. Nice, simple text treatment. Could possibly place text into two columns to make a little easier to read since the column is running almost 3/4 of the page. Nice use of colors.
Third Place
Andy Burress, University of Kentucky
Nice job carrying off the campaign-style art! Good use of color. Not too sure about the eyes in the illustration. Nice work making sure the other items on the page don’t compete with the main art or headline.
Honorable Mention
Baylee Pulliam, University of Louisville
Nice job organizing a lot of elements into a very clean and fun page. Good, subtle use of spot color.
Feature Page Layout
B
First Place
Riah Lawry, Asbury College
Very nice layout. Very organized and fun.
Second Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Very clean layout and nice organization. Good use of fonts and art.
Third Place
Anna Leon, Asbury College
Good, clean layout. Nice use of fonts and art. Try the menu with a light gray background to give the page a little more variety.
Honorable Mention
Erika Graham, Asbury College
Nice photo treatment and clean layout. Not sure if the cutout photo credit works.
Front Page Layout
A
First Place
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
Very nice front page! Great photo and nice text treatment. Very nice spacing and use of white space. This page has very nice breathing room. Good job!
Second Place
Spring 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Very well put together front page. Nice spacing and use of white space.
Third Place
Alex Lovan, University of Kentucky
Good clean design and nice spacing. “Sister act” headline could stand out a little more. Possibly a heavier version of this font or a slightly larger size. Possibly even in color or a light shade of gray.
Honorable Mention
Whitney Leggett, Eastern Kentucky University
Nice front pages. Good, clean design. Be careful with spacing. A few elements do not line up and do not stay within their columns.
Fall 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Nice page. Try to do a little more with your headline treatment on the “International Tuition” story. Plenty of space but a pretty basic treatment.
Front Page Layout
B
First Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Very Nice! Great color choice and use of art. Very fun!
Second Place
FrontpagelayoutBAU01-not on entry, Asbury College
Very pretty cover. Great choice of art and colors!
Third Place
Tyler Hoff, Asbury College
Nice design. Good photo and text treatment.
Honorable Mention
Sally Jagielski, Transylvania University
Nice page. Be careful with the use of too many fonts.
Informational Graphic
A
First Place
Spring 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Nice, fun layout with a good mix of elements to make the graphic very informative. Good job on the cutout and nice work on the headline and fonts used in the graphic.
Second Place
Emily Lindeau, Northern Kentucky University
Very nice layout and use of color. The graphic is very informative without going overboard. Could use a little more dominate headline font to make really pop.
Third Place
Alex Lovan, University of Kentucky
Nice, clean layout and great use of fonts to illustrate point and info. Try a little different approach to the colors used to make the graphic more interesting. Be careful on the rule lines around your boxes in the bar graph. This area could be a little more cleaned up.
Honorable Mention
Chris Phillips, Murray State University
Nice, clean work. Fun graphic. Could use a little more variations of grey to distinguish between the different days on the route.
Informational Graphic
B
First Place
Katelynn Ralston, Victoria Sullivan, Transylvania University
Nice graphic with helpful info. Fun treatment of fonts and graphics.
Second Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Nice use of art and text treatments.
Third Place
Kacie Goode, Lindsey Wilson College
Nice, clean layout. Good use of color and organization of elements.
Overall Layout
A
First Place
Fall 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Very nice issue! Great photos, fonts and use of color and white space throughout issue. Strong spacing between elements.
Second Place
Staff, University of Kentucky
Very nice paper! Good, clean design. Try a little more unique treatment of “CYMBALIC GESTURE” headline on front page. Try a rule line between editorial and advertising and a pica of white space on both sides of the line. The pages need a little more breathing room for your editorial elements.
Third Place
Whitney Leggett, Adam Turner, Jaclyn May, Courtney Leggett and Ryan Alves, Eastern Kentucky University
Very nice papers! Clean layout.
Honorable Mention
Northerner Staff, Northern Kentucky University
Clean layout and nice use of art. The “Search Firm” story really brings this issue together. Great work!
Staff, University of Kentucky
Nice paper. A little too busy on page 2. Try having your rule line continue instead of stopping for the sudoku. Black boxes on headers on page 4 and 5 are too dark. Try a light gray with a darker gray text.
Overall Layout
B
First Place
Staff, Asbury College
Very fun and organized layout! Great cover and excellent use of fonts, art and white space throughout issue.
Second Place
Staff, Asbury College
Another great issue. Not quite as fun as 1st place winner but still very consistent and clean design.
Third Place
Staff, Asbury College
Great job once again! Nice use of color and art in this issue. Clean design. A little too much white space in this issue. Work out the headlines a little better to not leave too much free space.
Honorable Mention
Staff, Transylvania University
Nice layout. Watch spacing in issue (especially page 3). Also, keep an eye on the trapped white space.
Staff, Transylvania University
Nice layout. Keep an eye on spacing and too many fonts. Rule lines are not always pulled to line up with other elements on page.
Special Section
A
First Place
Spring 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Very clean layout. Nice cover and great use of white space and fonts throughout the issue.
Second Place
Staff, University of Kentucky
Nice front page design and clean layout throughout. Try to find a way to carry through some element(s) from the cover throughout the issue–possibly the folio font. Great spacing and use of headline fonts and light grays.
Third Place
Staff, University of Kentucky
Nice cover and consistent use of elements for folios throughout issue. Be careful for trapped white space on page 7.
Honorable Mention
Elizabeth Johnson & Staff, Murray State University
Very nice cover. However, the cover concept was not carried throughout the issue. Try to find some way to carry the look/concept throught the entire issue.
Staff, University of Kentucky
Nice cover for a fashion issue. Good, clean design throughout. A little too much going on with the ads and editorial. Try a little more white space between ads to give the page some room to breathe.
Sports Page Layout
A
First Place
Jody Beamer and Alex Lovan, University of Kentucky
Very fun, unique design. Great use of art, color and graphics to create a very professional looking page. GREAT JOB!
Second Place
Andy Burress, University of Kentucky
Very clean and nice section. Nice front page and very good spacing and white space throughout section.
Third Place
Andy Burress, University of Kentucky
Nice layout with good energy in dominant photo. Nice job of picking up the blue for your “4″. Good spacing and clean layout. Be careful of your trapped white space on the bottom center.
Honorable Mention
Alex Lovan, University of Kentucky
Nice job organizing multiple elements for a fun and clean design. Good use of light grays. Try to eliminate the trapped white space by the two photos on the bottom left of the page.
Sports Page Layout
B
First Place
Spring 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Very fun and clean page! Good dominant photo and text treatments!
Second Place
Erika Graham, Susannah Bretz, Asbury College
Very nice layout. Good photos and consistent color. Be careful at bottom with spacing on blue boxes. Blue color might work better as a soft blue or light gray.
Third Place
Erika Graham, Susannah Bretz, Asbury College
Fun page! Be careful with spacing around headline at top of page. Not enough breathing room for headline.
Honorable Mention
Sally Jagielski, Transylvania University
Nice page. Impact is a little too bold for a headline font on this feature. Try a thinner font and possible a shade of gray. Keep an eye on your rule lines they are not starting and stopping in correct places.
Student created art
A
First Place
Annie Erskine, Western Kentucky University
Very Nice Art. This shows a very professional use of software and understanding of shading. Great job!
Second Place
Not included on entry-story by John Minor, Northern Kentucky University
No entry info. (Student-CreatedArtFNKU01) Great job with text treatment!
Third Place
Chris Phillips, Murray State University
Very nice art for page.
Honorable Mention
Erin Jackel, Murray State University
Nice art! Good use of color and shading. A little too much empty space in upper right corner. Try to spend a little more time with text treatment in graphic and possibly use some in the text treatment.
Chris Phillips, Murray State University
Nice, clean art and fun layout!
Student created art
B
First Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Great page! Nice use of art, color and headline treatment. Very fun!
Second Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Nice art and clean layout. Good use of colors and text treatments.
Third Place
Jennifer Godbey, Somerset Community College
Fun art. Nice effects and use of color.
Editing
Judged by Chris Carroll, Vanderbilt Student Communications
Best Feature Headline
A
First Place
Adam Turner, Eastern Kentucky University
Perfect pun headline. Works on many levels. Fun, tightly-written sub-head is icing on the cake.
Second Place
Shelisa Melendez, University of Kentucky
Perfect blend of regional spelling, cultural allusion and literal meaning.
Third Place
Charlotte Kyle, Murray State University
Clever juxtaposition of cliche against the literal context of the story.
Honorable Mention
Baylee Pulliam, University of Louisville
Terrific play on a pop culture phrase. It’s creative, appropriate and it fits the story.
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
Imaginative re-purposing of a common phrase.
Best Feature Headline
B
First Place
LeeAnn Cain, Lindsey Wilson College
Headline directly conveys what the story is about in a playful manner without resorting to semantic tricks that require context or interpretation. Serves both print readers and supports online search. Good job.
Second Place
Nicolas Schrager, Lindsey Wilson College
“Heat” and “passion” can be connected in many contexts and work well here to literally convey the work of a blacksmith. This works because of the subhead that tells the reader the craftsman is a blacksmith, rather than leaving him guessing. Strong display design over photo of fire.
Third Place
Hillary Fisher, Asbury College
Nice use of alliteration and analogy, however without additional context (deck/subhead), it’s a label head. Suggest either placing this as a display head over the photo along with a smaller descriptive head above the story, or adding a subhead, e.g., “natural plumage returns as hairstyle trend.”
Honorable Mention
Kristen Snyder, Georgetown College
Clever turn of a common phrase adds interest to this head and prompts curiosity to read the story.
Best News Headline
A
First Place
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
Beautifully executed play on pop-culture reference that applies perfectly to a breaking news story. Excellent!
Second Place
Jonathan Lintner, Western Kentucky University
Creative use of twist on fraternity name with pop culture reference that applies perfectly to the story subject.
Third Place
Baylee Pulliam, University of Louisville
Great application of literary allusion to national higher ed story with campus implications.
Honorable Mention
Baylee Pulliam, University of Louisville
Creative, contemporary twist on an old idiom that applies perfectly to the story.
Aaron Smith, University of Kentucky
Strong application of common phrase with contextual sub-head.
Best News Headline
B
First Place
LeeAnn Cain, Lindsey Wilson College
Not sure all readers (men) will get the “double pink line” reference to pregnancy tests, however, this is a clever headline that plants a mental image in readers’ minds of the balancing act pregnant students must perform. It works because of the subhead that makes that image clear.
Second Place
LeeAnn Cain, Lindsey Wilson College
Direct head that relies on shared cultural meme (storm chasers) to invoke curiosity about the story’s subject.
Third Place
Jake Hawkins, Transylvania University
I’m guessing that the “bubble” referenced in the first deck is the campus community “bubble,” which may be the common terminology on campus. For those of us not on campus, the second line of the head prompts real interest in a curiosity about the story.
Honorable Mention
LeeAnn Cain, Lindsey Wilson College
Clearly grabs attention and conveys the focus of the story. Might consider dropping the extra deck (“Conflict with jobs…”) and rely on the sub-head “Finishing college…” to do the job with fewer words.
James Huddleston, Transylvania University
Rare case when a short, compelling quote works in a headline and captures the essence of the subject.
Best Sports Headline
A
First Place
Zach Greenwell, Western Kentucky University
Expert reworking of an idiom to describe how a star recruit was landed. Creative and compelling.
Second Place
Tanner Hesterberg, Morehead State University
Subject’s name and achievement made for a potentially attention-grabbing headline. You split the uprights with this one.
Third Place
Nick Craddock, University of Kentucky
Masterful utilization of a well-known pop culture reference. Fits the story perfectly.
Honorable Mention
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
Great use of double-meaning of phrase to illustrate the story.
Tanner Hesterberg, Morehead State University
Great word play. Fun and fitting.
Best Sports Headline
B
First Place
Abby Ferguson, Transylvania University
Nice juxtaposition of “treading a shoeless adventure.” Fun word play while clueing the reader to the subject of the story.
Second Place
John Overby, Lindsey Wilson College
Great use of implementing a play on the subject’s name into the display head. Also strong design helps with bike performing a “rainbow” arc.
Third Place
Brooke Crum, Lindsey Wilson College
Strong main and sub-head, but it begged for something a little more creative. What a great opportunity: a walk-on race walker.
Features
Judged by Sandy Smith, formerly Nashville Tennessean
Feature story
A
First Place
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
The lead really grabs the reader – especially the kicker “and he didn’t even get to say goodbye.” It’s a creative angle on a big story — UK beating UNC — and one that holds in its creativity through. The writer structured this article like an obituary and has shown a deft hand at maintaining that feeling throughout without pushing it too hard. Nice idea, nicely executed.
Second Place
Emily Patton, Western Kentucky University
Excellent job in asking some difficult questions for this piece. Opening the article with the mother’s raw emotion was powerful. It’s clear that this took quite a bit of time to pull this together. Many writers would have spoken to the parents and, having a powerful story, stopped. You pushed it to next level by talking to his friends and brother. Also, not sure if this was you or the photographer, but the additional level of information provided in the captions was outstanding.
Third Place
Martha Groppo, University of Kentucky
Nice to provide some context on why drawing the human form is so important to the quality of the art program. This was a “grown-up” way to approach this topic. Incorporating so many voices—from professors to students to models—added a depth to the topic.
Honorable Mention
Taylor Pettit, Eastern Kentucky University
Excellent lead and a very engaging way to begin the story. Don’t assume that readers know much about Japanese geography – help orient me to where the cities are that you’re talking about. How far away are they from the earthquake? Good job in getting numerous voices into this story.
Aaron Williams, University of Louisville
This is a strong features piece that takes a newsy approach. I’m always loathe to use anonymous sources, but there are approaches that would give credibility to this student’s story. How many students does U of L bust each year for illegal downloading? Have any ever been prosecuted? A little bit of context could negate the need for this anonymous source.
Feature story
B
First Place
Nicolas Schrager, Lindsey Wilson College
Outstanding use of descriptive writing, particularly using strong action verbs (engulfs, hiccups). The italicized portions, where much of the scene-setting is occurring, is written with more passion than the remainder of the article. Make sure that tone matches throughout.
Second Place
Leslie Moore, Lindsey Wilson College
Great job at including very important context – average life expectancy, size of family, income. These kinds of details really help fill in the blanks for readers who may understand that Uganda is impoverished, but these figures show just how serious the problem is. Even features stories need additional voices and this would have benefiting from speaking with someone at the college who knew him as a student.
Third Place
Matt Attaway, Somerset Community College
This story presents a great way to take a huge national issue and make it local, and to do so in a timely manner. This type of story could have been at any time, but coming off the Tucson shootings provided a local response to something that was in the national media.
Honorable Mention
Nadia Smith, Transylvania University
This story rests on the terrific anecdotes the professors tell and the writer does a nice job of adding in voice when it’s needed and getting out of the way when it’s not. Watch for quotes that can be strengthened by being trimmed or paraphrased rather than running on a bit too long.
Will Houp, Asbury College
Nice descriptive passages here, especially in describing the people featured in what they’re wearing and how they move. It’s great to broaden the story out with a second student who creates Apple products, but it might have been best to either feature him more or eliminate him altogether.
Judged by Paige Clancy, Vanderbilt Student Communications
General Interest Column
A
First Place
Dana Cole, Eastern Kentucky University
Dana is a skilled storyteller and writer. The piece was touching and very interesting, yet concise.
Second Place
Logan Todd, Morehead State University
Nicely argued and good job including informative news and facts.
Third Place
Tessa Duvall, Western Kentucky University
Colorful writing and funny with an interesting perspective on study abroad.
General Interest Column
B
First Place
Alex Cheser, Transylvania University
Colorful storytelling, great descriptions of food, nice history of people and business. Fun to read and compelling.
Second Place
Molly Crain, Transylvania University
Informative and interesting. Would have been stronger with a more concise commentary on media consumption habits. Instead, give that space over to more information about the store. Nice to hear from the owner of the store in the piece.
Third Place
Savannah Cox, Bellarmine University
Nice story. Could have been stronger if restructured to lead with “When I arrived in Granada, I was terrified.” Then, the information about the place and the school could follow later in the piece. Interesting details about the experience.
Judged by Sandy Smith, formerly of the Nashville Tennessean
Personality profile
A
First Place
Natalie West, Western Kentucky University
The essence of what makes a strong personality profile lies largely in the use of the voice of the subject. By drawing out the subject in interviews, the writer provided herself with a wealth of solid material to use. The writer then used those quotes well, in just the right amount. That combined with an ability to get her own words out of the way provided a compelling look into the subject’s life.
Second Place
Morgan Caldwell, Eastern Kentucky University
Writing about a legislator’s impact on the university was no easy assignment. Conveying the subject’s importance is a tall task, made even more difficult by the need to speak to a number of state representatives—never an easy bunch to get on the phone. Nice to round out the man and his impact on the university as well as his impact on the state legislature. Especially nice touch to include his sense of humor and what he’ll be doing next.
Third Place
Jamie Booth, Murray State University
Attention to detail pushed this entry into the winning category. By seeking out contextual statistics—the professor is the only one with 40 years experience and has served longer than any other professor in decades—the writer helps the reader easily understand why this subject is featured. It’s a lost art many times in feature writing. I do with there had been a few easy questions answered—why did her husband retire before she did? When does she plan to retire (if at all) and what are her five favorite movies.
Honorable Mention
Brandon Barb, Northern Kentucky University
Excellent balance of her personal story along with good fact-based information. The writer handled an emotional subject without becoming maudlin. It’s a nice deft touch and writing with a restrained hand.
Emily Patton, Western Kentucky University
Nice approach, especially with putting the news of his Boston Marathon finish so late in the article. The article was engaging and the quotes were well-used. I do with there had been a bit more attention to rounding out his whole life a bit rather than tightly focusing on his wheelchair racing.
Personality profile
B
First Place
Jessica Flores, Georgetown College
Nice, well-rounded profile that incorporates the professor’s off-campus life as well as the contributions she’s made to the college. There also are some nice throw-away elements that round out the subject more fully – the stake on her desk and the fact that she’s considering bidding online for a Shakespeare-shaped tea pot. This is a great way to add color and depth to a personality without spending too much time on facts that don’t merit it.
Second Place
Kaitlyn Mullins, Somerset Community College
A tightly focused profile that strings the instructor’s love of books—from her childhood to her cluttered office—throughout. While personality profiles often round out a person’s life, this example of keeping it narrowly honed to one general topic works as well, especially because the writer packs a lot of information around the notion of the subject’s love of books.
Third Place
Jason Hood, Lindsey Wilson College
It’s always a terrific idea to round out people who are known for one skill—in this case basketball. By including interviews with his wife and his position as a chaplain do this well.
Honorable Mention
Abby Ferguson, Transylvania University
The story idea showcases a nice awareness of the campus. By including pertinent details such as NCAA rules, the writer has helped the readers to see the experience more fully.
Veronika Walker, Kentucky State University
It’s clear that the writer either did her homework before the interview or has a deep passion for the topic. Her understanding of the nuances of poetry come through and because of that, she was better able to draw the interview subject out on the topic.
Judged by Paige Clancy, Vanderbilt Student Communications
Review
A
First Place
Charlotte Kyle, Murray State University
Grabs the reader immediately. Beautifully written. Subject matter is local, which is more interesting and unique than just another review of a national act/book/movie. Background on recording and editing techniques by the artist is informative.
Second Place
Roxanna Blevins, Northern Kentucky University
Extremely interesting subject matter. Writer shows the reader something new and explains why it’s worth hearing. This piece acts as a translation for a reader who is interested in music but needs help understanding a genre like folk-metal. More balance could have been given to the second half of the album to round out the structure of the review. Very enjoyable to read.
Third Place
Matt Murray, University of Kentucky
Great imagery. Matt skillfully described the performers, the place, the people. The criticism of the main act was interesting and pretty well argued, but I wanted to hear more about the opener’s performance and the crowd’s reaction.
Review
B
First Place
Laura Laffoon, Asbury College
Great lead – puts the reader right into the story being reviewed.
Second Place
Mindy Borie, Transylvania University
Nice comparison of book and tv series.
Third Place
Holly Brown, Transylvania University
Very thorough and interesting.
News
Judged by Brenna Kelly, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Continuing News
A
First Place
Karli Wood, Northern Kentucky University
Wood’s stories about the combining of Black Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies is very complete. She does of good job of explaining what the University wants to do and who it will affect. She talks to students in the program and even finds out how other University’s minority programs work. The University withdrew the plan after outcry that was likely result of Wood’s stories.
Second Place
Brad Stephens, Cole Claybourn, Western Kentucky University
This is a great example of using the paper’s online site to publish stories on days the paper does not publish. Stephens goes a great job of getting the news of the coach’s DUI online – writing two stories the day of the arrest. Clayburn does great job following up and holding the athletics department accountable. I also liked that he asked the football players how they felt about the arrest.
Third Place
Cole Claybourn, Tessa Duvall, Katherine Wade, Western Kentucky University
These reporters do a good job with the story of a professor being fired. Clayburn uses the state’s open records law to get the story, then Duvall advances it when the professor files a lawsuit. Wade does a good job of making sure the story doesn’t go away by checking in with the attorneys.
Honorable Mention
Elizabeth Johnson, Nick Reside, Austin Ramsey, Murray State University
These students did a great job of talking to the student who filed the complaint and getting her to share the documents of the case. They also do a good job of following up with the professor’s side of the story. Finally they tell us the resolution of the case. However in the final story, I would have liked them to go one step further and report how much the University was paying the professor.
Eva McEnrue, Patrick T. Sullivan and Chase Sanders, University of Kentucky
Good job following an issue that students on campus are no doubt interested in. The last story, though coming from coverage of a meeting, does a good job of explaining how the revamped Rupp would be connected to campus.
Judged by Kevin Kelly, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Continuing News
B
First Place
Jake Hawkins, Charlie Zwischenberger, Erin Brock, Transylvania University
An enterprising and commendable effort by this group of reporters. The initial property records search and solid sourcing in the opening article provided the foundation. A list or locator map depicting the location of university-owned properties would have been helpful to readers of the first article who were not familiar with the area. Subsequent stories were strong, and the breaking news coverage showed the paper’s staff stayed on top of the issue. Good work.
Second Place
Victoria Engelhardt, Georgetown College
A nice example of taking ownership of a story from the outset and following it to completion. Engelhardt’s first story offers good background and information about the proposed residence hall, including the timetable and estimated costs. Thought it needed a paragraph about existing housing options and the total percentage of students living on campus. Move-in day was a good angle to wrap up the last story.
Third Place
Kendra Farmer, Miesha Glover, Lavonne Shephard, Kentucky State University
The reporters identified an issue – the lack of textbooks in the bookstore – that was affecting students, faculty and university staff and went to work covering it from different angles. Many powerful quotes from multiple sources. The reporters did a good job keeping the spotlight on the issue even as officials started taking steps to remedy the problem.
Honorable Mention
Erin Brock, Transylvania University
Laura Miller, Abby Ferguson, Molly Crain, Transylvania University
Judged by Kevin Kelly, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Investigative Reporting
A
First Place
Josh Moore, Western Kentucky University
Moore took a daunting topic – the university’s debt concerns – and produced a polished enterprise piece. The amount and quality of reporting, variety of sources, story organization and writing style distinguished this entry from others in the category. Creative design and informative graphics add to the strength of the package. Impressive.
Second Place
Taylor Moak, University of Kentucky
The opening paragraph of this article about the costly new office for the university’s former president is an attention grabber. And it was possible because Moak obtained the pertinent information through an open records request. Solid execution on a story that probably got the campus and community buzzing.
Third Place
Cole Claybourn, Western Kentucky University
Clayborn paints a detailed picture of a summer employment scam that led to suspensions of two basketball players by utilizing several sources of information, including personal records provided by the players. Glad the reporter made the effort to reach out to the company and hiring manager in question for comment.
Honorable Mention
Jesse Call, Northern Kentucky University
Olivia Medovich, Murray State University
Judged by Brenna Kelly, The Cincinnati Enquirer
Investigative Reporting
B
First Place
Kacie Goode, Lindsey Wilson College
Writer does a good job exploring a topic all college students care about – food. Goode quotes students who are affected by having to pay for more meals than they eat. Impressed by her effort to compare Lindsey Wilson to other similar colleges and to even quote officials at another school. However, some of most important information, that Lindsey Wilson is considering changes to the meal plan, was buried at the end of the story. The story could have had even more impact had that information been higher in the story.
Second Place
Jake Hawkins, Transylvania University
The writer does a great job using public records to examine the properties that the university owns. He then uses that information to talk to university officials about their plans. As a reader I was wanting to know more about these properties. What are they, where are they, how much did the university pay for them and how much are they worth now.
Third Place
Jane Brannen, Asbury College
Brannen uses a student who transferred into Asbury and one to who left to frame the issue of retention. Story would have been stronger if it included some statistics on the number of students leaving. I felt that the news – the registrar saying that more students are leaving – was buried midway through the story.
Honorable Mention
LeeAnn Cain, Lindsey Wilson College
Very complete story about retention at the school. I would have liked to hear more from former student such as why she left. Also the information about what the school plans to do to improve retention could have been played higher in the story.
Lavon Shephard, Kentucky State University
Interesting story about student sanctions. Shephard does a good job of talking to two students who have been sanctioned. However, I would have liked statistics on how many students are sanctioned each year. Story was also missing comment from school administrators.
Judged by Brenna Kelly, The Cincinnati Enquirer
News Story
A
First Place
Matt Murray, University of Kentucky
Well-written story following the protest at the capitol. Excellent reporting to spend time with protesters. Would like to have seen the UK student and the about section how the protesters feel about UK’s role in energy higher in the story.
Second Place
Rialda Zukic, Western Kentucky University
Great job reporting a story that will affect many students. Zukic explained how much more international students will have to pay take 15 hours. She also does a good job of talking to international students too see how it will affect their education.
Third Place
Tessa Duvall, Western Kentucky University
This reporter showed enterprise in going to Joplin with the student group. Great lede and really liked the ending and the ending quote.
Honorable Mention
Jesse Call, Northern Kentucky University
Very complete story about the proposed changes to rules for speakers on campus. Only thing missing was a comment from someone who regularly speaks on campus.
Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
Reporter did a good job laying out what happened and why it matters. Also like that she got the perspective of the sports management professor and the Herald-Leader editor.
News Story
B
First Place
Staff, Transylvania University
The Rambler staff gets the nod here for recognizing an opportunity to localize a national story and pulling it off in a timely manner. Certainly deserving of its Page 1 placement. While we’re on the topic of placement, the last paragraph illustrates how the “Occupy” movement had arrived on campus and needed to be higher in the story. Multiple voices added depth to the story. Good job.
Second Place
Crystal Passmore, Somerset Community College
The reporter took what might be considered a ho-hum topic and produced a solid story with good details and by quoting officials and students. Loved the “annoying” quote. Would have preferred to see the information about the expected completion date higher in the story. Also, what is the price tag for the project, and who’s paying for it?
Third Place
Jake Hawkins, Transylvania University
Fraternity members drinking live goldfish and allegedly assaulting three women who wanted to stop them? Not your every day story, and probably a difficult one to write on a small campus. Nice work by the reporter to request the incident report and still get the details without it.
Honorable Mention
Elisa Platillero, Asbury College
Kacie Goode, Lindsey Wilson College
Online
Judged by Bryan Murley, Center for Innovation in Collge Media, Eastern Illinois University
Multimedia
A
First Place
Becca Clemons and Tessa Lighty, University of Kentucky
Good use of video for a story with obvious visual appeal. Additional photos add depth to the entry.
Second Place
Taylor Moak, Latara Appleby and Becca Clemons, University of Kentucky
The video could have used more action shots in the first minute. Close-ups. The audio on the final interview is very low. Photo slideshow has a variety of wide, medium and closeups.
Third Place
Jerry Englehart Jr, Western Kentucky University
Needs explanatory text below the video. Blends stills and video well.
Overall Web Site
A
First Place
Staff, University of Kentucky
Well-organized with plenty of graphics on the front page, but still lots of white space. I would suggest making the “social buttons” on individual story pages a little less obtrusive. Plenty of entry points to related content. Well done.
Second Place
Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
Clean and organized front page, with a little too many headlines, add more photos to break up the text better. Nice public records page.
Third Place
Northerner Staff, Northern Kentucky University
well-organized front page. A little heavy on navigation elements. Dominant graphics grab attention.
Honorable Mention
Eli Phillips and Staff, Murray State University
Page design feels very blog-like. No news since December.
Opinions
Judged by Vanessa Gallman, Lexington Herald-Leader
Comic Strip or Panel
A
First Place
Brittany Granville, Northern Kentucky University
Appealing drawing style makes strip a fun read even when topics are as heavy as excessive consumerism, unemployment and weight gain.
Second Place
Nick Patton, Murray State University
Nice drawing. The Obama one explained well a complicated national issue and the Ky. senator in a jersey deserved a chuckle. At least one strip on a state/local/campus issue would have shown more range.
Third Place
Alex Lane, Murray State University
There is an interesting mind at work here, most apparent in the strip about old people. Needs to work on production quality and getting the message across effectively in the space provided.
Comic Strip or Panel
B
First Place
Andrew Williams, Transylvania University
This work shows strong art skills and an intriguing mind. It will be interesting to see where they take him as he challenges himself.
Second Place
Richard Rutledge, Asbury College
Quirky, but accessible, drawing style makes the work fun to and easy to read. Loved the Trojan horse toon.
Commentary
A
First Place
Cassidy Herrington, University of Kentucky
This 9/11 anniversary column managed to say a lot of thoughtful things without being preachy,sappy or overwrought. And it ended with an inspiring call to arms for a generation. That’s not easy to do.
Second Place
Logan Todd, Morehead State University
Pithy and passionate criticism of allowing concealed guns on campus. It has a fearless quality.
Third Place
Shannon Frazer, University of Kentucky
This was a cool, reasoned column on the hot-button issue of coal in Kentucky. It pricked consciences rather than slammed heads, which likely made it more effective.
Honorable Mention
Taylor Moak, University of Kentucky
While it took a while to get to the point,the column was a strong defense of journalistic principles during a challenging time for the paper.
Commentary
B
First Place
Kendra Farmer, Kentucky State University
This is a heartfelt, straightforward plea to the university to not lower the passing grade standards. An example of speaking truth to power.
Second Place
Athena Bowling, Somerset Community College
Some sympathy for the last brutal moments of the Libyan dictator’s life was something many people likely felt, despite themselves. The writer had the courage and skill to explain it. Thought-provoking.
Third Place
Ethan Smith, Georgetown College
Straightforward questioning about how love of sports can overshadow moral responsibility in Penn State sex abuse tragedy. Covered a lot of ground in tight space.
Honorable Mention
Matt Attaway, Somerset Community College
“Growing old in the Internet age” blends a news item about gaming-research with an account of his passion and then diminished interested in gaming. It makes an interesting read.
Megan Ray, Lindsey Wilson College
The writer’s criticism of a planned “Womanless Beauty Pageant” takes a while to get going but when it does, it becomes a passionate demand to really see the anti-woman messages we send, even in good fun.
Editorial
A
First Place
Editorial board, University of Kentucky
A succinct, forceful, fair demand for the university president to be a leader. It doesn’t get more powerful than that.
Second Place
editorial board, Western Kentucky University
Editorial on campus smoking policy got right to the point, offered an alternative policy and issued a call to action in a tight space. Impressive.
Third Place
editorial board, Eastern Kentucky University
A new caste system for student organizations was a great topic, although the writing was a bit melodramatic for the information available. Good to see a campus paper stand up for student rights. Nice illustration.
Editorial
B
First Place
editorial board, Transylvania University
Strong, well-reasoned editorial on changing the recruitment schedule of Greek organizations. Good job.
Second Place
editorial board, Kentucky State University
Endorsements for Student Government Association are often challenging tasks for campus papers. This was comprehensive and respectful of the candidates.
Editorial Cartoon
A
First Place
Lea Faske, Morehead State University
Fine, detailed drawings with lots of depth and detail and interesting points of view. Favorite is the one on campus smoking. Appreciate the time and thought it takes to communicate without a lot of captions.
Second Place
Christopher Epling, University of Kentucky
The cartoons are nicely drawn,appealing and easy to understand — the one on 9/11 anniversary especially. But they were easy, even mundane, points to make.
Third Place
Walter Deller, Northern Kentucky University
Fell in love with the cartoon on the closed financial aid office. A lot of emotion in such a deceptively simple presentation.
Honorable Mention
Darren Vogt, Western Kentucky University
The cartoon about claiming the prize of WKU admission made one laugh and say “ouch.” Focus on distilling all your points to something that simple and powerful.
Opinion Pages
A
First Place
Alli Collis, Morehead State University
This was a strong entry full of good cartoons,editorials and columns about state or campus issues. The campus comment feature is well-presented; the look overall is crisp, clean and inviting. Great job.
Second Place
Brian Hancock, University of Kentucky
Good touch to publish quotes and tweets about the paper’s conflict with athletics. Strong cartoon and good writers who can make points in limited space.
Third Place
Seth Littrell and Kaylia Cornett, Eastern Kentucky University
This entry is full of opinion and the space to display it. A little more creativity in design would make it sparkle. Strong editorials.
Honorable Mention
Spring 2011 Herald Staff, Western Kentucky University
The Tops& Bottom feature is clever and the pages are crisp and appealing. The size of the display of both a cartoon and a comic strip takes over the page and reduces space that could be used for letters and other opinion. The box with all the names also overwhelms.
Opinion Pages
B
First Place
editorial board, Transylvania University
Entry shows a nice variety of information, from clear editorials, columns from the political right and left, quotes from students and letters. With one page, it’s best to standardize the boilerplate info in as small a space as possible, so you know exactly how much space to fill.
Second Place
newspaper staff, Lindsey Wilson College
This page has an interesting mix of topics and seems basically a place to showcase staffers. However, the writing needs to be tightened so that at least three offerings can fit. All the masthead and boilerplate info can be tightened up as well. It could also benefit from a more feature-like design — one dominant illustration, for example.
Photo
Judged by Greg Cooper, Brooks Institute
Feature Photo
A
First Place
Britney McIntosh, University of Kentucky
Great job on getting the under water shot, but that alone wouldn’t have been enough for me, you also managed a great moment. Just an overall great feature to illustrate this story.
Second Place
Ryan Stone, Western Kentucky University
Nice picture, great moment, wonderful POV – I feel like I’m in the audience watching the performance. Also, nice job with getting separation between the people in the audience and the circus announcer.
Third Place
Cooper Burton, Western Kentucky University
Great moment, certainly carries this picture. Also, nice job on the lighting and framing of your subject.
Honorable Mention
Leslye Davis, Western Kentucky University
Wonderful POV and great moment. Nice job thinking on your toes, getting the shot!
Feature Photo
B
First Place
Riah Lawry, Asbury College
Great shot and wonderful way to lead the package. Love the moment (especially the reactions in the background) and on top of that, technically great. Nice job!
Second Place
Zach Wilson, Asbury College
The great moment carries this picture. Wonderful faces and technically proficient. Great job!
Third Place
Jennifer Godbey, Somerset Community College
Great point of view and nice job getting their faces in the shot along with showing the environment – which is key to illustrate the story.
Judged by Clay Jackson, The Advocate-Messenger in Danville, Ky.
News Photo
A
First Place
Tessa Lighty, University of Kentucky
Great angle and eye catching. Easy to read what is going on in the photo.
Second Place
Leslye Davis, Western Kentucky University
Nice direction of the three subjects in the photo.
Third Place
Brandon Goodwin, University of Kentucky
Nice emotion
Honorable Mention
Jerry Englehart Jr., Western Kentucky University
The photo tells the story. It’s hard covering a accident.
Austin Ramsey, Murray State University
Nice depth of field.
Judged by Clay Jackson, The Advocate-Messenger in Danville, Ky.
News Photo
B
First Place
Riah Lawry, Asbury College
Good angle and lighting with it being tough
Second Place
Brownrygg Woolls, Asbury College
Nice moment
Third Place
Sam Withey, Asbury College
Nice portrait and use of the photo on the page.
Judged by Greg Cooper, Brooks Institute
Photo story
A
First Place
Brandon Goodwin, University of Kentucky
Great story and extremely well illustrated. Good moments, great access and variety. Way to stick with the story.
Second Place
Jabin Botsford, Western Kentucky University
Nice job, love the way it was shot, the moments and variety of subject matter.
Third Place
Michael Rivera, Western Kentucky University
Your package has a lot of graphic appeal – especially the lead shot. It is also shot very well. The moments are solid and good job with variety.
Honorable Mention
Britney McIntosh, University of Kentucky
The graphic appeal of the lead shot carries this package, nice job with that. The story is well illustrated and moments are solid.
Photo story
B
First Place
Kacie Goode, LeeAnn Cain, Matthew Hicks, and Tiffany Berger, Lindsey Wilson College
Powerful set of images, great faces, awesome variety and nicely displayed (although not key to winning). A very solid effort, nice job telling the story of a segment of our society that most people don’t know enough about.
Second Place
Riah Lawry, Sam Withey, Asbury College
Wow, great job covering Keeneland or any equestrian event. Great moments and very nice variety. Solid effort.
Third Place
Katelynn Ralston, Transylvania University
Very nice package on a “day in the life” -style story. Fantastic variety, decent moments and well shot. Nice job!
Judged by Clay Jackson, The Advocate-Messenger in Danville, Ky.
Sports Photo
A
First Place
Jabin Botsford, Western Kentucky University
Great capture to wiggle your way to get the shot.
Second Place
Britney McIntosh, University of Kentucky
Great crop and point of focus. Cudos for running the photo big.
Third Place
Christian Randolph, Western Kentucky University
Great action shot! easy to read and sharp!
Honorable Mention
Quianna Lige, University of Kentucky
Great moment!
Latara Appleby, University of Kentucky
Great lighting.
Sports Photo
B
First Place
Rebecca Baker, Asbury College
nice moment
Second Place
Rebecca Baker, Asbury College
nice reaction photo
Third Place
Aaron Holmes, Asbury College
Nice action shot
Sports
Judged by Barry Reeves, Sporting news
Sports Column
A
First Place
Cole Claybourn, Western Kentucky University
Cole wrote a smart, timely column. His opinion surely bucked common thought around campus, but it was blunt and smart and not condescending. Well done.
Second Place
Tanner Hesterberg, Morehead State University
Third Place
Jonathan Lintner, Western Kentucky University
We really liked Jonathan’s writing. He is no doubt the best “writer” in this category, but all of his submissions were feature stories rather than columns.
Honorable Mention
Aaron Smith, University of Kentucky
Jonathan Lintner, Western Kentucky University
Sports Column
B
First Place
Erin Brock (Lane/Calipari), Transylvania University
The good columnists get out in the field and report. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re quoting people left and right but they’re talking to people and watching with a careful eye. Erin, unlike her competitors in this category, got off the couch and hit the hardwood and reported her piece.
Second Place
Andy Russell (Wheldon death), Georgetown College
Third Place
John Overby (NBA lockout), Lindsey Wilson College
Sports Feature
A
First Place
Aaron Smith (Hoops freshmen), University of Kentucky
A great feature starts with great reporting. Aaron provided a well-sourced story and provided insight into UK’s four famous freshmen basketball players. Considering this was a story being told by many pros, Aaron was able to create a story device to tell each of the four players’ stories in a concise manner and yet still be able to educate the causal fan but tell devoted UK fans something they didn’t know about the players. Job, well done.
Second Place
Cole Claybourn (Gordon), Western Kentucky University
This was the toughest category to judge. Cole’s story is the second-best story of all submitted in the Sports categories. It’s nicely reported and well written.
Third Place
Jonathan Lintner (message boards), Western Kentucky University
Honorable Mention
Marsha Groppo (food services), University of Kentucky
Brad Stephens (fishing for a pitcher), Western Kentucky University
Sports Feature
B
First Place
John Overby (football head injuries), Lindsey Wilson College
Jeff did a nice job of taking a major national story and providing a local angle.
Second Place
John Overby (BMX), Lindsey Wilson College
Third Place
Abby Ferguson (tennis brothers), Transylvania University
Honorable Mention
Brooke Crum (race walker), Lindsey Wilson College
Carlos Melger (women hoops scorers), Transylvania University
Sports Game Story
A
First Place
Les Johns (women vs. Duke), University of Kentucky
Les’ story did everything a gamer should: He was able to articulate the stakes of the game, provide game details and strategy and tap into the emotion of the night.
Second Place
Ethan Levine (football vs. Tenn.), University of Kentucky
Third Place
Jonathan Lintner (women vs. Arkansas St.), Western Kentucky University
Honorable Mention
Tanner Hesterberg (OVC title), Morehead State University
Aaron Smith (Elite Eight win), University of Kentucky
Sports Game Story
B
First Place
Abby Ferguson (vs. UK), Transylvania University
Love how Abby worked to intermix her observations with the quotes, to further the story. Loved the Lane/broom practice story and would’ve preferred it up higher, but she wins this category because it was obvious that she outworked her competition in this category, talking to more people to provide her readers better insight.
Second Place
Ray Hupfer (hoops national title), Bellarmine University
Third Place
Ray Hupfer (Elite Eight hoops), Bellarmine University
Honorable Mention
Will Houp (soccer/Popp), Asbury College
Jeremiah Gonia (soccer 8-0 win), Asbury College
Sports News Story
A
First Place
Brad Stephens (bowl drama), Western Kentucky University
Anybody can cover a press conference. This wasn’t a complicated story, but Brad went above and beyond in getting the ESPN sources on the record about why the network didn’t push any of its minor bowls to take WKU. That gave him the edge over two well-written press conferences pieces from the Kernel lacking only such second-level reporting.
Second Place
Ben Jones (Cobb announcement), University of Kentucky
Third Place
Taylor Moak/Rachel Aretakis (AD’s daughter), University of Kentucky
Honorable Mention
Cole Claybourn (Guidry DUI), Western Kentucky University
Stephen Wilder (Div. I budget), Northern Kentucky University
Sports News Story
B
First Place
Jeremiah Gonia (freshman transfers), Asbury College
Jeremiah showed nice enterprise here, noticing a trend in freshman transfers and then working to explain the reasoning behind so many basketball transfers at his school. Well done.
Second Place
Abby Furguson (lacrosse startup), Transylvania University
Third Place
Victoria Engelhardt (Div III), Georgetown College
Honorable Mention
Richard Carver (football recruiting), Lindsey Wilson College
Victoria Engelhardt (Bengals training camp), Georgetown College
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