SPRINGFIELD, Missouri – Evangel University student media organizations recently earned multiple awards at a variety of state and national media contests. Students won awards from the Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ), Missouri Broadcast Educators Association (MBEA), and Missouri College Media Association (MCMA). These contests reflected student media collateral produced or published in 2020.
“It’s important that we participate in these contests on both the state and national levels,” said Communication Department Chair Dr. Cameron Pace. “We know our students compete well, but we are also able to identify areas in which we can improve or strengthen within these communication outlets.”
Below is a list of awards by media, contest, category, and placement.
Highlights include a first place MBEA finish for news show “Newswatch Today” and sports show “Sports Update”, a second place finish in SCJ’s “Overall Excellence,” “Best Concept,” “Best Writing,” and “Best Photography” categories for the Excalibur yearbook, a first place finish in MCMA’s “Feature Photography” category for the yearbook, and a first place finish in MCMA’s division three “Best Overall Newspaper.”
CrusaderMedia.com, EU Films, EUTV, and KECC
Evangel’s student-run website, television station, and radio station earned six awards in the MBEA contest. EUTV also competed in the SCJ contest and won one award.
MBEA Contest
First Place
- Video – Commercial, Tristin Ray and Nijal Davison
- Video – News Show (Recurring), Newswatch Today – Megan Rodgers and Tristin Ray
- Video – Sports Show, Sports Update – Braeden Nelson
Third Place
- Video – News Show (Recurring), Newswatch Today – Danielle Aubry and Nathan Griffey
- Audio – Special Programs and Podcasts, Taylor Bergquist
Honorable Mention
- Audio – Radio Station Promo, Isaac Prewitt
SCJ Contest, Organizational Award
Honorable Mention
- Television News Show – Overall Excellence, Danielle Aubry and Nathan Griffey
Excalibur Yearbook
Excalibur received six awards from the SCJ contest and five from the MCMA contest for the 2019-2020 yearbook. The team was led by former Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Godzwa, senior.
SCJ Contest, Yearbook Awards
Second Place
- Overall Excellence (under 7,000), Excalibur Staff
- The Terry Vander Heyden Award, Excalibur Staff
- Best Concept, Excalibur Staff
- Best Writing, Excalibur Staff
- Best Photography, Excalibur Staff
Third Place
- Display, Excalibur Staff
MCMA Contest, Yearbook Division
First Place
- Feature Photography, Hayley Devivo
Third Place
- Feature Writing, Joy Haase
- Sports Design, Taylor Cruzado and Lydia Flaherty
- Overall Theme Development, Rebekah Godzwa
Honorable Mention
- Sports Photography, Hayley Devivo
The Lance Newspaper
The Lance competed in the SCJ contest as well as MCMA in Newspaper Division 3. The student newspaper received one SCJ award and 19 awards from MCMA. The newspaper was led by former Editor-in-Chief Madeleine Kirkpatrick, alumna, in the spring of 2020 and Editor-in-Chief Sam Labertew, junior, in the fall.
SCJ Contest, Individual Awards
Second Place
- Feature Stories, Sam Labertew
MCMA Contest, Newspaper Division 3
First Place
- Best Overall Newspaper, Sam Labertew and Grace Cox
- Feature Writing, Sam Labertew
- Feature Photography, Samantha Baker
- Information Graphic, Ashlyn Rinehart
- Editorial/Op-Ed Page, The Lance Staff
- Sports Page, The Lance Staff
Second Place
- Sweepstakes, The Lance Staff
- Sports Writing, Ashlyn Rinehart
- Sports Writing, Tate Kelly
- Page One Design, The Lance Staff
- Feature Page, The Lance Staff
- Sports Page, The Lance Staff
Third Place
- News Photography, Grace Perkins
- Editorial/Op-Ed Page, The Lance Staff
- Sports Page, The Lance Staff
Honorable Mention
- Editorial Writing, Braylon Williams
- Feature Page, The Lance Staff
- Feature Page, The Lance Staff
- Website, The Lance Staff
Evangel’s Communication Department prepares students to pursue careers within various communication-related fields. Students study video, audio and film production, journalism, public relations, advertising, public speaking, multimedia design, and much more – all applied through methods of electronic media, print, and oral communication.
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Evangel University, with the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary (AGTS), is a comprehensive Christian university committed to excellence in educating and equipping students to serve the Church and society globally. Evangel and AGTS serve more than 2,200 students from all 50 states and numerous foreign countries, offering 70 undergraduate majors and 19 master and doctoral degrees.