Contact:
Dr. Nancy Garcia
[email protected]
(806) 651-2414

For Immediate Release
April 22, 2020

CANYON, Texas- West Texas A&M University’s student media received 7 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) Previously Published category.

Students involved in media organizations such as The Prairie News, Eternal Flame, and Buffalo Advertising submitted work completed during the spring and fall semesters in 2019 last December. The annual TIPA convention scheduled to be held in Corpus Christi from March 25-28 was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Award winners were announced via email on April 20.

“We all work very hard to make sure we tell people’s stories and keep the public informed so it’s great to receive recognition of that hard work” Savannah Wesley, senior broadcast journalism major and The Prairie News editor-in-chief said.

Among the awards in the Division 4 were four first-place earned, one second-place, and two third-place. The specific awards for the Previously Published category are as follows:

First place, electronic reporting, feature news reporting- audio, Alyssa Gonzales
First place, visual reporting, cartoon strip/panel, Jonah Dietz
First place, visual reporting, sports action photo, Alyssa Gonzales
First place, production, advertising campaign, Buffalo Advertising
Second place, electronic reporting, multimedia story, Ceasar Escalante & Savannah Wesley
Third place, narrative reporting, breaking news, Olivia Spiezio
Third place, narrative reporting, feature story, Jonah Dietz

“This award means so much to the 2018-2019 WT Buffalo Advertising team. The students worked tirelessly on their ‘Be a Dog Person’ campaign for Wienerschnitzel over two semesters and during their entire spring break.” Dr. Mary Liz Brook, Buffalo Advertising adviser said. “It’s that type of dedication that generates successful results including recognition from TIPA.”

About TIPA
TIPA, established in 1909, is the oldest state collegiate press association in the nation and has grown to be one of the largest and most respected collegiate groups in the country. Annual Previously Published contests include newspaper, general magazine, literary magazine, radio, television, yearbook and online. Deadline for entries submission is Dec. 23. For more information visit http://texasipa.org/

About the Department of Communication
The Department of Communication at WTAMU is home to two undergraduate programs – communication studies and mass communication and a master’s program in communication. For more information, visit https://www.wtamu.edu/academics/communication.aspx