UWM Student Journalists Win Major Wisconsin Newspaper Association Awards Posted on March 9, 2025March 9, 2025 by Media Milwaukee staff Student journalists at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee won major journalism awards at the Wisconsin Newspaper Association awards contest on Friday, including the best multimedia, public affairs, and feature photography in the state. The above awards were won by students in the Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies’ program’s journalism immersion class, which is funded through a grant from the MPC Endowment Ltd., the philanthropic affiliate of the Milwaukee Press Club. You can read the project here. The students reported on immigration from both sides of the U.S./Mexico border, traveling to Eagle Pass, Texas, and Piedras Negras, Mexico. Some of the stories were reported in Spanish. Photo: Samantha Calderon Also receiving awards: Student journalist David Go, who broke the story that Vice President Kamala Harris was coming to campus, and Matiana Hernandez, who broke the story that 20 percent of students admitted to UWM with visas don’t show up. The stories were published on Media Milwaukee, the JAMS program’s national award-winning student news site. UWM journalism students at the awards ceremony. The awards handed out in 2025: Place Name: First Place (feature photography)Contestant Name: Media MilwaukeeEntry Title: Faces at the BorderEntry Credit: Samantha CalderonJudge Comment: Great photos cause emotional reactions. These photos do just that; they’re powerful, emotional, and technically sound. They tell a story all on their own. Very well done. Place Name: First Place (best multimedia)Contestant Name: Media MilwaukeeEntry Title: La Frontera: Crossing the Rio GrandeEntry Credit: Samantha Calderon, Elizabeth Lintonen, Liliana Fannin, Dominic Rodriguez, Colton Pemble, Juan Rodriguez-Mora, Sonia SpitzJudge Comment: Great multimedia package. Combining video, photos, audio and words give a reader many ways to take in these stories. Great work. Place Name: First PlaceContestant Name: Media MilwaukeeEntry Title: La Frontera – Crossing the Rio GrandeEntry Credit: Elizabeth Lintonen, Liliana Fannin, Colton Pemble, Dominic Rodriguez, Samantha Calderon, Juan Rodriguez-Mora, Sonia SpitzJudge Comment: This package of stories stood out in a very strong class of public affairs entries. The stories were richly sourced and organized well. The writing and visuals are very strong and complement one another. This package of work is a very compelling and timely read… Place Name: Third Place (public affairs reporting) Contestant Name: Media MilwaukeeEntry Title: Failed to ReportEntry Credit: Matiana HernandezJudge Comment: This is a very interesting topic and one that deserves more attention… Place Name: Second Place (breaking news reporting)Contestant Name: Media MilwaukeeEntry Title: Kamala Harris Visits UW-MilwaukeeEntry Credit: David GoJudge Comment: Beyond getting the scoop, this story includes numerous sources, including one from the other party to provide some balance. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)