On April 2, 2011, The Standard, Missouri State’s student run newspaper, hosted the 2011 Missouri College Media Association conference and awards banquet. At the conference, The Standard and its staff won 26 different awards including seven first place awards, Best Overall Newspaper and the Sweepstakes award.
MCMA president Leah Randazzo, senior journalism major, has been planning the conference since last April, the first time in the past nine years that The Standard has hosted the conference. This year, the conference featured many speakers including Missouri State faculty, alumni and local professional journalists. The guest presenters included Mary Jane Pardue, a media, journalism and film professor; Andy Cline, MJF professor; Jess Rollins, MJF alumni and reporter for The News-Leader; Nate Papes, MJF alumni and photographer for The News-Leader; Kathryn Wall, MJF alumni and reporter for The News-Leader; Maria Hoover, Springfield Business Journal features editory, Susan Hegger, St. Louis Beacon politics and issues editor; Lola Butcher, free lance reporter; Matt Schoch, The News-Leader; Mike Brothers, co-interim director of public information; and Bob Bergland, convergence journalism profesor at Missouri Western State University.
“We got a lot of feedback. People enjoyed the sessions and saw them as learning experiences,” says Jack Dimond, faculty advisor to The Standard. “It shows that our time and expenses were justified.”
After a full day of speakers and events, the conference concluded with an awards banquet that featured a wide range of award categories. The highest prizes at the conference were the Best Overall Newspaper and the Sweepstakes award. The Sweepstakes award is given to the school with the most total points from all awards received. The Best Overall Newspaper is awarded to the school with the best evaluation of three full issues of its paper.
“(Winning Best Overall) shows that you’re on your game with the total package,” Dimond explains.
To win these awards, The Standard was in competition with six other Division 1 schools including University of Missouri, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis University, Washington University and Webster University.
“(Winning these awards) is a moral boost for students who don’t get a lot in return,” Dimond says. “They can take satisfaction for doing good work and being recognized.”
The Standard claimed many awards at the conference, more than they have in past years. It was the first time they placed for Best Overall Newspaper. To be able to continue claiming these, and other awards, they plan to make smart decisions about the submissions they make, according to Randazzo.
“We have editors who expect the best writing and designing possible,” Editor-in-Chief Sarah Bennett says. “We run the paper professionally. It is more than a student run paper and we will continue to maintain that standard.”
Missouri State students earning awards include:
- News Writing, honorable mention: Bridget Rapp and Kevin Agee
- Feature Writing, first and second: Bobbie Sawyer,
- Sports Writing, second and honorable mention: Jon Poorman
- In-Depth Reporting, third: Bridget Rapp
- Investigative Reporting, second: Greg Edwards
- Sports Column, second: Kevin Agee
- News Photography, first: Michael Gulledge, honorable mention: Matt Kile
- Feature Photography, second: Matt Kile
- Sports Photography, second: Matt Kile, third: Michael Gulledge
- Political Cartoon, honorable mention: Rachel Brown
- Nonpolitical Cartoon, second: Rachel Brown
- Story Illustration, first: Amy Byrum
- Page One Design, first: Cris Swaters
- Section Front Page, first: Leah Randazzo
- Editorial Page, second: Leah Randazzo
- Sports Page, first: Jon Poorman. second: Cris Swaters
- Feature Page, honorable mention: Bobbie Sawyer and Leah Randazzo
- Special Section, second: Staff
- Best Web Page, honorable mention: Staff