Media Milwaukee Wins 39 Major Journalism Awards Posted on March 12, 2019March 13, 2019 by Media Milwaukee staff Media Milwaukee student journalists at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee earned 39 awards in four major journalism competitions including the Milwaukee Press Club, Wisconsin College Media Association and the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association. The students won in writing, audio, video and online categories. The student journalists in a variety of classes snagged 23 Milwaukee Press Club awards, more than any other Wisconsin university in categories including written news story, audio news story, use of multi-media, still photography, video feature story and investigative reporting. Media Milwaukee reporters won another 12 awards from the Wisconsin College Media Association, a statewide contest sponsored by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association. In addition, they won three first-place Wisconsin Broadcasters Association awards. Talis Shelbourne was the 2nd place WNA award-winner for Wisconsin College Journalist of the Year. The Media Milwaukee John Patrick Hunter award for 2019. In a separate honor, Talis Shelbourne, Jennifer Rick and Miela Fetaw were awarded this year’s John Patrick Hunter First Amendment award. Award coordinator Sam Martino presented the honor to Media Milwaukee Friday for “protecting the freedom of the press to investigate sexual harassment at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.” “There has been a greater focus on First Amendment rights on college campuses because of attempts at restrictions on freedom of speech, press and assembly,” Martino told the crowd at the awards ceremony in Madison. John Patrick Hunter was a crusading Wisconsin journalist during the McCarthy era. The WNA and the Madison Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists partnered to present Media Milwaukee with the award for news reporting. Marquette also received a John Patrick Hunter award for editorial writing. The first-place winners announced by WCMA included a feature story by Elizabeth Sloan and Madison Sepanik on Somali immigration to Barron Wisconsin and public affairs reporting for a major student immersion project to cover gun issues in Washington D.C. The first-place WBA honors were won by Kaitlyn Herzog, Lauren Keene and Anijah White for video and audio stories on an innovative cat café, sights and sounds of the 2018 gun march in Washington, D.C., and bicyclists spreading holiday cheer. The immersion trip was funded in part by a grant from the Milwaukee Journal Foundation Walter Jay and Clara Charlotte Damm Fund. The Milwaukee Press Club announced the finalists in the 89th Annual MPC Awards for Excellence in Wisconsin Journalism competition on March 12. Students will learn if they received gold, silver or bronze honors on May 10 at the club’s Gridiron Awards Dinner at The Pfister Hotel. Meet the Press host Chuck Todd will be the featured speaker. UWM student journalists gather at the Intermodal Station in Milwaukee on their way to Washington, D.C. to cover the 2018 gun march. “This year’s contest garnered more than 800 entries from throughout Wisconsin in professional and collegiate categories,” the Milwaukee Press Club announced. “The competition was judged by professional journalists from press clubs throughout the U.S., including statewide clubs in Alaska, Florida, Idaho and Michigan and metro area clubs in Cleveland, Houston, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Orange County, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco and Syracuse.” Madison Sepanik, Elizabeth Sloan, and Henry Morgan hold Media Milwaukee’s WCMA awards. Here are the stories honored: Milwaukee Press Club Finalists WRITING Best News Story Henry MorganGubernatorial Debate on UWM Campus Exposes Wisconsin Divide Best Long Hard Feature Story Alyssa WieseAbortion Clinic Escorts Mark 25 Years in Milwaukee Best Short Hard Feature Story Sam WisneskiIn Recovery: Six People, One Building Best Investigative Reporting Talis Shelbourne Jennifer Rick Nyesha Stone Miela Fetaw Exposing Sexual Harassment on Campus Best Still Photograph/Photos Ed MakowskiDeer Poaching in Wisconsin: Illegal Harvests in the Heartland AUDIO Best News Story Single or Ongoing Lauren KeeneVoices of the Gun March: Young and Old Best Feature Story Alexis AmensonChoosing Abortion in Wisconsin Marla SmithRiley MayJennifer LeuFaces of UWM VIDEO Best News Story Single or Ongoing ReAnna Oestreich 50 Miles to Janesville: A March to Paul Ryan’s Hometown Best Feature Story Lauren KeeneSip & Purr Cat Cafe Brings Feline Fun to Milwaukee Best Sports Story Jenna DaroszewskiThe Pin Chaser Behind the Bowling Machine Best Program, Documentary or Special Simone SafianDisassociated: To Whom Do We Belong? ONLINE Best Use of Multi-Media Media Milwaukee StaffWisconsin Votes (or not): High Stakes for the 2018 Midterms Best Local News or Feature Website Media Milwaukee Staff Best Blog JAMS 320 Class Covers the Midterms Media Milwaukee StaffUWM Covers March for Our Lives Media Milwaukee StaffUWM Covers the Gun March on Washington & Wisconsin Best News Story Lauren KeeneTug of War: Inside Wisconsin’s Deeply Politicized Abortion Divide Elizabeth SloanHenry MorganMadison SepanikTwo Americas, 32 Miles Apart: Crossing the Gun Divide Best Hard Feature Story Rashaud FosterCarrie MahoneElizabeth SloanEngaging Milwaukee’s Black Voters, Block by BLOC Danielle MillerThe Fight to Stop Sex Trafficking in Milwaukee Best Soft Feature Story Carrie MahoneCarrie’s Curl Conversation Best Sports Story Sam SchmitzSo Far, Fiserv Forum is Luring Customers to Neighboring Businesses Wisconsin College Media Association News Photography Second PlaceHenry MorganGeneration Lockdown News Photography Honorable MentionTalis ShelbourneHurricane Harvey Feature Photography Third PlaceAubryana BowenWelcome to Barron In-Depth Story Second PlaceRoyce Podeszwa, Derek GrantVillage That Flipped Back In-Depth Story Third PlaceMadison Sepanik, Henry Morgan, Elizabeth SloanCrossing the Gun Divide In-Depth Story Honorable MentionTalis ShelbourneUn/Natural Disaster? Public Affairs Reporting First PlaceElizabeth Sloan, Henry Morgan, Madison Sepanik, Claudia Delgadillo, Lauren Keene, Sydney Ewert, Jessica Lopez, Morgan Langley, Carrie Mahone, Anijah White, Tiera Trammel, Hunter Hanthorn, Ariel Goronja, Cassie Bretl, Robert Garza, Ed Makowski, Danielle Miller, ReAnna Oestreich, Royce Podeszwa, Talis ShelbourneGeneration Lockdown Public Affairs Reporting Second PlaceTalis Shelbourne, Nyesha Stone, Miela Fetaw, Jennifer RickExposing Sexual Harassment Freedom of Information Award First PlaceTalis Shelbourne, Jennifer Rick, Nyesha Stone, Miela Fetaw, Elizabeth SloanSexual harassment on campus Website Second Place Collegiate Journalist of the Year Second PlaceTalis Shelbourne Feature Story First PlaceMadison Sepanik, Elizabeth SloanBarron, Wisconsin: An Immigration Story Wisconsin Broadcasters Association News Story-Writing (TV) First PlaceAnijah WhiteFrom Spoken Word to Speaking Out Feature Story TV First PlaceSip & Purr Cat Café Brings Feline Fun to Milwaukee Audio Storytelling-Sound (Radio) First PlaceKaitlyn HerzogSanta Cycle Rampage 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)