UW-Milwaukee Brings Home Dozens of Awards from State and Regional Journalism Contests

The Milwaukee Press Club announced gold, silver and bronze winners at the 92nd Gridiron Awards event for Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism, held May 6 at The Pfister Hotel.

UW-Milwaukee students won a total of 27 collegiate awards in print, video, audio and online categories, more than any other university. The award-winning stories are reported, written and produced in classes as part of UWM’s Journalism, Advertising, and Media Studies program.

Students’ 2021 stories covered Wisconsin news, Milwaukee communities, the pandemic, the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, the Waukesha parade tragedy, and stories that highlighted diverse cultures through in-depth reporting.

This year’s contest drew more than 800 entries from across Wisconsin in professional and collegiate categories. The competition was judged by professional journalists from Alaska to Pennsylvania.

CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Manu Raju received the Sacred Cat Award, which recognizes journalism achievement at the national level. UW-Milwaukee students had the opportunity to meet with Raju, who answered questions and offered career advice.

Former Wisconsin Governor and UW System President Tommy Thompson was also honored at the event.

Here’s a complete list of Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism awardees, and UWM’s gold, silver and bronze honors:

PANDEMIC SHOWCASE CATEGORIES

Best Pandemic Story in Print 

BRONZE
Cherita Booker: Trauma Throughout History

Best Pandemic Story That Appeared Online

GOLD   
Media Milwaukee staff: Back on Campus in a Pandemic: Who We Are Now

SILVER 
Basim Al Marjan: Hamlet Tackles COVID

BRONZE
Media Milwaukee staff: Workers Say ‘No Thanks’ to Old Assumptions About Work

WRITING

Best News Story

GOLD
Destiny DeVooght: Colectivo Unionization Vote Signals Pushback From Workers During Pandemic

Best Long Hard Feature Story

SILVER
Thomas Hoffman: Milwaukee Restaurants and Service Workers Face Pandemic Stress

Best Long Soft Feature Story

SILVER
Allison Martens: Small Black Businesses Take on the Pandemic and Emerge Stronger

Best Short Hard Feature Story

SILVER
Hunter Turpin: The UWM Student Union is Getting a Facelift

Best Sports Story

GOLD
Michael Colt: For Chinooks host families, the relationships last longer than a summer

SILVER
Madison Rios: The Boxer

AUDIO

Best News Story Single or Ongoing

SILVER
Brady Jager: Waukesha Community Mourns, Reflects on Parade Tragedy

Best Feature Story

SILVER
Nkaujoua Xiong: Colorful Hmong Traditions Shine at New Year’s Celebration

Best Sports Story

GOLD
Margaret Tews: Low Stakes, Big Fun for Campus Volleyball Team

VIDEO

Best News Story Single or Ongoing

GOLD
Grayson Sewell: Rittenhouse Trial Verdict Divides Community

BRONZE
Seth Herlinger: Increase in Kia and Hyundai Thefts Hits Milwaukee

Best Feature Story

GOLD
Matt Gotsch: Navigating Domestic Violence During the Holidays

SILVER
Grayson Sewell: Bloody Mary Walk Raises Funds for Cedarburg Parks

Best Sports Story

SILVER
Jamie Winsted: Referee Shortage Hits Local Sports Games

Best Program, Documentary or Special 

SILVER 
Kaylin Hart: Limit(less)

ONLINE EXCLUSIVELY

Best Local News or Feature Website

SILVER 
Media Milwaukee Staff: Media Milwaukee

Best News Story

GOLD   
Jeromey Hodson: Rittenhouse Closing Arguments

SILVER 
Brianna Schubert: UWM Struggles to Find Students for Low-Paying Campus Jobs

Best Hard Feature Story

GOLD
Lauren Breunig: Milwaukee Fights for Representation in a Bitter Redistricting Year

SILVER
Emily Prochaska: Historic Bronzeville Neighborhood Reimagined

BRONZE
Jason Smith: COVID Through the Eyes of an 80-Year-Old Man

Best Soft Feature Story

GOLD
Jessica Gatzow: Saving The Planet One Sniff At A Time

BRONZE
Nicholaus Wiberg: Hip Hop Chess Club

In the regional Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence contest, Media Milwaukee won for best independent online student publication. Students Jessica Gatzow, Nkaujoua Xiong and Grayson Sewell also won top honors, and will go on to compete at the national level. Winners and finalists are among the best in SPJ Region 6, which covers Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota.

Here’s a complete list of SPJ Region 6 Mark of Excellence awards, and UWM’s winners and finalists:

PRINT/ONLINE 

General News Reporting 

Finalist: Brianna Schubert, UWM Struggles to Find Students for Low-Paying Campus Jobs 

Finalist: Hunter Turpin, The UWM Student Union is Getting a Facelift 

Feature Writing 

WINNER: Jessica Gatzow, Saving the Planet One Sniff at a Time 

Finalist: Elizabeth Charney, Thank the Honeybees at Hatch Distillery 

Best Independent Online Student Publication 

WINNER: Media Milwaukee 

AUDIO 

Radio News Reporting 

Finalist: Brianna Schubert, Students Return to Campus, But Not Campus Jobs 

Radio Feature 

WINNER: Nkaujoua Xiong, Colorful Hmong Traditions Shine at New Year’s Celebration 

Finalist: Jessica Gatzow, New Composting Program Turns Campus Food Scraps Into Rich Soil 

BROADCAST 

Television General News Reporting 

WINNER: Grayson Sewell, Rittenhouse Trial Verdict Divides Community 

Television Feature Reporting 

Finalist: Allison Peoples, Frank’s Diner: A Jewell in the Heart of Kenosha 

Television In-Depth Reporting 

Finalist: Matt Gotsch, Navigating Domestic Violence During the Holidays 

UWM journalism students were also honored by the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for video and audio stories produced in 2021:

General News Story (Radio)

2^nd place: Brianna Schubert, Students Return to Campus But Not Campus Jobs

General News  Story (TV)

1^st place: Grayson Sewell, Rittenhouse Trial Verdict Divides Community

Writing (Radio)

1^st place: Jessica Gatzow, New Composting Program Turns Campus Food Scraps Into Rich Soil

Writing (TV)

1^st place: Allison Peoples, Frank’s Diner: A Jewell in the Heart of Kenosha 

2^nd place: Matt Gotsch, Navigating Domestic Violence During the Holidays

Sports Story (Radio)

2^nd place: Christopher Lee, UWM Students Find a Refuge at Campus Rec Center

Audio Storytelling-Sound (Radio)

3^rd place: Nicholaus Wiberg, Tinker Lab Promotes Creativity and Laughter

In the Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association awards, UWM film student Nkaujoua Xiong won an Audio award for her feature story, Colorful Hmong Traditions Shine at New Year’s Celebration.

Media Milwaukee journalists also won eight awards in the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Collegiate Better Newspaper Awards, celebrated this year in a virtual ceremony.