The student newspaper Northwestern News at Northwestern Oklahoma State University won 29 awards including some top honors within the Diamond Division for small four-year universities during the recent Oklahoma College Media Association conference in Stillwater.
The campus newspaper won Best Overall Newspaper, best in Front Page Design, and Jordan Green, Blackwell junior who serves the newspaper as its editor-in-chief, was named the Journalist of the Year. The contest period was the 2021 calendar year.
The award factored in Green’s writing and reporting, a letter of recommendation from newspaper adviser Dr. Kaylene Armstrong, associate professor of mass communication, and a personal essay addressing the mission of a college newspaper.
“I discussed how our job as a paper is to make our college more transparent and connected,” Green said. “We’re here to speak truth to power – and sometimes, to correct the misconceptions of the public. We serve the people, and we try to do that by providing them with the best, most accurate information possible.”
Green said he was “honored and humbled” for the award but added as editor, he couldn’t do what he does without his friends and fellow newspaper staff, and for that, he said he’s been blessed.
“As journalists, we don’t write stories, shoot photos and build newspaper pages to win awards, but we are thrilled when our hard work is recognized,” Green said. “Being named the Best Overall Newspaper in our division is quite an honor, and it wouldn’t be possible without the eager contributions of every single student journalist at the Northwestern News. This is a team effort, and we’re excited each week that we get to serve our campus community.”
Other universities eligible to submit entries in the division include East Central University, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma Baptist University, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Southwestern Oklahoma State University and the University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma.
Nine students placed first, second, third and/or honorable mention in several categories. Those students, their placings and categories follow:
First Place:
- Enterprise/Investigative Reporting —Team: Laney Cook, Marshall senior; Kaylea Brown, Terlton senior; Devyn Lansden, Beaver senior
- Feature Writing and Reviews — Caitlin Hofen, Alva junior
- Reporting portfolio, Enterprise/Investigative Reporting – Individual, Column Writing and General News Reporting — Jordan Green
- Sports Photography: Devyn Lansden
- Sports Reporting: Cade Kennedy, Alva sophomore
Second Place:
- Column Writing: Jordan Green
- Enterprise/Investigative Reporting—Team: Jordan Green, David Thornton, May 2021 graduate
- General News Reporting: Laney Cook
- Reporting Portfolio, Feature Writing and Reviews: Caitlin Hofen
- Sports Photography and Feature Photography: Devyn Lansden
- Sports Reporting: Connor Gray, Alva senior
Third Place:
- Column Writing and Sports Photography: Devyn Lansden
- Enterprise/Investigative Reporting — Team: Laney Cook, Kaylea Brown, Devyn Lansden
- Feature Writing: Caitlin Hofen
- General News Writing: Jordan Green
Honorable Mention:
- Feature Writing: Caitlin Hofen
- Reporting Portfolio: Cade Kennedy
- Sports Reporting: Gavin Mendoza, Erie, Colorado, sophomore
“Our editors, reporters, photographer, online manager, advertising manager and circulation manager are all equally important, and all are dedicated to our mission of providing Northwestern with a high-quality, well-rounded paper every week,” Green said. “They love our school with all their hearts, and we have a lot of fun serving our campus community well.”
While at the conference students attended sessions on photography and finding story ideas on campus. After the luncheon where the awards were handed out, the guest speaker was Jenni Carlson, sports columnist for The Oklahoman, who gave the 33rd Annual Paul Miller Lecture.
“The students continue to amaze me with the quality of work they can turn out,” said Dr. Kaylene Armstrong, who has served as the newspaper’s adviser for the last seven years. “Their hard work every week of the semester shows in the honors that OCMA awarded.
“The supportive campus also needs credit for making this kind of awarding-winning work possible,” she added. “We do appreciate all those people who so willingly agree to interviews and photos or provide necessary data for the stories. As I regularly learn, not all campus newspapers are fortunate to operate in such a supportive atmosphere.”
To learn more about the Northwestern News or the mass communication program, visit https://www.www.nwosu.edu/school-of-arts-and-sciences/communication/mass-communication.
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