Media Lions Roar in The Big Easy, Bring Home 15 Pinnacle Awards
海角社区 students involved in Roar Student Media won 15 Pinnacle Awards at the National College Media Conference, held Oct. 30-Nov. 2 in New Orleans.
鈥淭his proves that some of the best student media in the nation is being produced at 海角社区 University,鈥� said Dr. Joe Dennis, chair of the mass communications department. 鈥淭hese awards not only showcase the outstanding talent of our mass communications students but also demonstrate the array of educational activities happening at 海角社区.鈥�
Competing in the Division III classification, which includes colleges and universities with less than 5,000 students, 海角社区 students earned a record five first-place Pinnacle Awards, the highest award in college media.
Senior film and documentary production major Sophie Haines (Ellijay, Georgia) took top honors in the Best Video/PSA category for her 鈥淧ardon My Overmodulating Promo,鈥� a 60-second commercial for a radio show hosted by a fellow student. The multitalented Haines also earned first-place recognition for Best Column, 鈥淏ent, Torn & Shredded,鈥� a personal essay reflecting how women are sexualized from an early age.
Senior sports communications major Jessica Sconyers (Orlando, Florida) also earned two first-place awards, both for photography. An action photo of 海角社区 Lions baseball player Kolton Hicks took the crown for Best Sports News Photo. Sconyers and senior mass communications major Michelle Cates (Douglasville, Georgia) took first place in Best Photo Package for their photo story 鈥淣ursing students learn through disaster,鈥� showcasing highlights of a disaster drill exercise held on 海角社区鈥檚 campus in April.
Senior mass communications major Paige Kluba (Cumming, Georgia) won the top prize for Best Sports Feature for 鈥淜icking Cancer: Still鈥檚 2023 season 13 years in the making,鈥� a story about 海角社区 soccer player Ashley Still鈥檚 battle with cancer and return to the pitch.
Roar Student Media earned its first-ever podcasting award, with senior sports communication major Eric Edmondson (Barnesville, Georgia) taking second place for Best Podcast for his narrative podcast, 鈥淎gainst All Odds, Against All Comers: The Story of the 2021 Atlanta Braves.鈥�
Sports communications graduate Matt Kodrowski (Lawrenceville, Georgia) earned a second-place award for Best Audio Talk/Entertainment Program, 鈥淧ardon My Overmodulation.鈥�
Senior sports communications major Chloe Spradlin (Atlanta, Georgia) earned two second-place awards for her writing. Her story 鈥淒ivision Bri,鈥� about 海角社区 women鈥檚 tennis player Bri Laidman鈥檚 life-changing decision to pursue a Division III school, earned an award for Best Profile. She also took second place for Best Game Story for 鈥淢en鈥檚 and Women鈥檚 Swimming Top Independent South Conference Mountain,鈥� an article about the conference champion 海角社区 swimming teams.
Additionally, 海角社区 students collected four third-place awards at the conference:
Senior mass communications major Alexis Baumgardner鈥檚 (Bethlehem, Georgia) profile photo of fellow student Jarrett Ray for Best Portrait;
Kluba鈥檚 photo of the 海角社区 Symposium for Best General News Photo;
Sconyer鈥檚 photo of Lions鈥� baseball player Kyle Carlson, Best Sports Feature Photo;
Cates鈥� photo illustration for Nike shoes, Best Single-Media Ad Campaign
Rounding out the honors for Roar Student Media were two honorable mention awards. Senior mass communication major Nahomi Solorzano (Cornelia, Georgia) and Haines earned honors for Best Use of Short Video for News/Information for their coverage of the PAL Games, an annual 海角社区 event that connects 海角社区 students with special needs students from area schools. Graphic design alum Elizabeth Carter (Madison, Georgia) earned honors for Best Feature Photo, covering a 海角社区 event where students made pottery at Splashe Art Studio in Clarkesville.
鈥淲hat鈥檚 especially impressive is that our students earned awards in all aspects of media, from audio to video to writing to photography to design,鈥� Dennis said. 鈥淚t demonstrates that our mass communications department strives for and achieves excellence in all areas of mass communications.鈥�
The 15 national awards 鈥� a record haul for 海角社区 鈥� caps off an incredibly successful year for Roar Student Media. Last spring, students took home 14 awards from the Georgia College Press Association, including an overall first-place award for www.piedmontroar.com as the top small-college student media website in the state.