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Contact: Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University students won eight awards at the 2022 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention in late March.

Students from the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities won five live contest awards and three awards for previously published/broadcast material at the convention, held March 23-26 in Fort Worth.

Students represented three organizations in the Department of Communication: The Prairie News, the student-run news organization; Eternal Flame, the official magazine of WT and the WT chapter of the National Electronic Media Association.

TIPA is the nation’s oldest state collegiate press association and is now one of the largest and most respected collegiate groups.

The organization hosts an annual convention, consisting of live contests, workshops, meetings and an awards ceremony, to encourage professional development, networking and recognition of excellence in journalism. The 2022 convention was the first in-person convention since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. About 300 students and advisers, representing 35 schools, attended this year’s convention.

Kara Villarreal, a junior digital communication and media major from El Paso and staff member for Eternal Flame, won first place in the TV Advertising live contest.

“Winning in TV Advertising was very exciting,” Villarreal said. “It was something new and different, and I’m glad I was able to not only compete but learn at the same time.”

Sophia Britto, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo and NEMA chapter president, won third place in the Print Advertising live contest.

“It’s a little intimidating walking into a room of people you don’t know and competing with them,” Britto said. “You don’t know anybody else’s skillset or what they’ll come up with, especially people coming from fairly large universities.”

Isaiah Tanner, a senior digital communication and media major from Perryton and member of NEMA, won honorable mention in the Radio Sports Writing live contest.

“Winning this award made me feel really on track,” Tanner said. “Good grades are nice, but seeing how you stand compared to people who are going for the same jobs as you shows that you are just as qualified as they are.”

Dylan Green, a junior graphic design major from Dumas and member of NEMA, won first place in the Editorial Cartoon live contest.

“At the convention, I think I gained a lot more appreciation for the work of journalists and the ways in which the media works in collaboration with designers to create a professional, cohesive and informative final product,” Green said.

Hannah Valencia, a senior communication studies major from Santa Rosa, California, and editor-in-chief of The Prairie News, won third place in the Editorial Writing live contest, second place in the General News Story previously published contest for Division 4, and third place in the General Column previously published contest for Division 4.

“I think the whole experience of the convention pushed me to look outside the box of WT to see what other college news organizations are doing,” Valencia said. “It’s easy to get stuck in the bubble of your own university, but seeking inspiration from outside your community is an important motivator for continued innovation.”

Buffalo Advertising won first place in the Advertising Campaign previously published contest for “Pak-A-Sak Has Your Back.” This is thesecond award this advertising campaign has won.

Promoting quality, both in education and student work, is a key cornerstone of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign.

The following is a list of TIPA awards won by WT students:

Live Contest Awards:

• TV Advertising, first place: Kara Villarreal
• Print Advertising, third place: Sophia Britto
• Radio Sports Writing, honorable mention: Isaiah Tanner
• Editorial Cartoon, first place: Dylan Green
• Editorial Writing, third place: Hannah Valencia

Previously Published/Broadcast Awards:

• Advertising Campaign, first place (Division, Open): Buffalo Advertising
• General News Story, second place (Division 4): Hannah Valencia
• General Column, third place (Division 4): Hannah Valencia

About the WTAMU Department of Communication 

The WTAMU Department of Communication houses two undergraduate programs: Communication Studies and Media Communication, with three areas of emphasis in each program as well as the option to seek teacher certification in speech or journalism. The master’s program offers two areas of emphasis: one in Communication and one in Media Management. Both can be completed online. For more information on the department, visitwtamu.edu/academics/college-fine-arts-humanities/department-communication/index.html.

About West Texas A&M University 

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 39 master’s degrees and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.