SMU Student Journalists Win 10 State Journalism Awards

SMU student journalists took home 10 prestigious Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) awards at the organization’s March conference, a haul that included honors across all three of SMU’s Student Media outlets: The Daily Campus, SMU Look and SMU-TV.

The TIPA contest is highly competitive, and the accolades are hard won, said Jacqueline Fellows, a professor of practice who helps oversee the Student Media operation and advises the Daily Campus’ digital and print operations. SMU student journalists competed against students from UT-Austin, Baylor University, Texas A&M and other Division I universities, many of them with much larger staffs and resources.

“In a student media conference as large and as dynamic as Texas, it also reaffirms the importance of journalism on college campuses and students’ dedication to it,” Fellows said. “SMU student journalists and the journalism faculty deserve this recognition for their hard work. I also hope the awards show the value of student media and increasing funding for it.”

The competition was for work completed in 2022. Awards to the Daily Campus operation included first place for General News reporting, one of the contest’s most esteemed categories.

SMU’s highly regarded fashion magazine SMU Look took home the prestigious award for Overall Excellence in the General Magazine category, including a plaque specifically citing its Winter 2022/2023 edition.

The SMU Look digital fashion site took home first place in the Blog category.

“Our team is on fire,” said Jenny Davis, a professor of practice who oversees the SMU Look operation. “The accomplishments belong to the entire SMU Look media staff. Publishing content across print, web, and social requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, including the support of marketing, ad sales and events.”

Professors Jenny Davis and Jacqueline Fellows with Daily Campus Chief Copy and Photo editor Emma McCrae and Daily Campus Podcast Producer Simone Melvin

SMU-TV also took home a number of awards, including top honors for best Live Newscast and Feature Reporting - Video.

"The recognition from TIPA that our broadcast students have received going up against the best programs in the state shows what we've always known: that our students not only can compete against the best, they are the best,” said Charlotte Huffman, a professor of practice who oversees the broadcast program.

Below is a complete list of winners:

1st place, General News reporting, “SMU theater students get intimate”: Catie George 

2nd place, Best use of social media, Breaking News: Jillian Taylor

1st place, Live Newscast – Video: Melia Masumoto:  Tulsi Lohani, Jordyn Stallings, Peter Warner, Sara Hummadi

1st place, Feature Reporting – Video: Grace Lawrence (graduated)

3rd place, Sportscast – Video: Briana Flores, Grace Lawrence (graduated), Peter Warner

1st place, Overall Excellence – General Magazine: Maria Chammas, Morgan Gruwell, Olivia Porsch, Carolina Soja. The team also received a plaque for overall excellence for its Winter 2022/2023 edition.

1st place, Blog – Look: Lucy Ladis, Bella Pinera, Mary Thompson Charlebois

2nd place, Story Package Design – General Magazine: Drishti Sachdeva, Ella McDonald, Olivia Porsch, Caroline Soja

2nd place, Cover Design – Magazine: Maria Chammas, Ethan Rios, Olivia Porsch, Caroline Soja