CANYON, Texas—West Texas A&M University students brought home 13 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference in San Marcos.
Two student media organizations in the Department of Communication won awards: The Prairie News, WT’s student-run news organization, and 1910 PR, WT’s student-run public relations firm. Winning students came from the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities, the Paul Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences, and the the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business.
Jo Early, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo and editor-in-chief for The Prairie News, won first place in the print news writing live competition, third place for “The Tale of Sarah Jane” multimedia feature, and first place for the “College of Engineering Launches Fourth Punkin’ Chunkin” general news video/multimedia story, both previously published on The Prairie News’ website.
“It was incredible to compete alongside so many talented people,” Early said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to test my abilities before I head into the workforce, and I’m so happy that our team could bring some awards back to The Prairie News and WT.”
JoLina Lopez, a senior digital communication and media major from Abernathy and social media engagement coordinator and associate editor-in-chief for The Prairie News, won first place for the previously published “Lost Faces, Found Voices” multimedia feature and second place for the general news video/multimedia story “Senate Bill 17 impacts diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at West Texas A&M.”
Lopez also served on the executive board for 1910 PR in 2023 and said she was proud to see the public relations firm’s work recognized by TIPA.
“In the fall 2023 semester, I served in a leadership position for 1910 PR,” Lopez said. “So, seeing that the staff from that semester earned third place in the Advertising Campaign contest, I felt a great sense of pride. I appreciated that the 1910 PR staff was honored in such a way.”
Lindsey Sawin, a December agricultural media and communication graduate from Vernon, won first place for the “What to Know about Thunder XIV” interactive infographics she created for a multimedia journalism course and later submitted for publication at The Prairie News.
“Learning from great faculty leads to great opportunities and chances for students to succeed,” Sawin said. “I am grateful for the WT faculty who continually invest in students and for the opportunity to compete against other creative minds.”
The conference ran April 11 to 13.
The following is a list of TIPA awards won by WT students:
Live Contest Awards
- Feature Writing, second place, Carlie Rutledge, a junior strategic communication major from Houston
- Print News Writing, first place, Jo Early
- Honorable Mention in Spanish News Writing, Bradley Pollock-Santos, a junior psychology major from Los Cabos San Lucas, Mexico
Previously Published Awards for The Prairie News
- Multimedia Feature, third place for “The Tale of Sarah Jane,” Jo Early
- Multimedia Feature, first place for “Lost Faces, Found Voices,” JoLina Lopez
- General News Video/Multimedia Story, first place for “College of Engineering Launches Fourth Punkin’ Chunkin,” Jo Early
- General News Video/Multimedia Story, second place for “Senate Bill 17 impacts diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at West Texas A&M,” JoLina Lopez
- In-Depth News Reporting, second place for “Academics Applying AI Series,” Madilyn Findley, a senior digital communication and media major from Fredericksburg
- Illustration, third place for “Wendler trying to ‘bite off too much,” Dylan Green, a senior graphic design major from Dumas
- Interactive Graphic, first place for “What to Know about Thunder XIV,” Linsdey Sawin, a December agricultural media and communication graduate from Vernon
- Photo Illustration, first place for “Judge Issues Mixed Rulings on WT Drag Show Lawsuit,” Dylan Green
Previously Published Awards for 1910 PR:
- Promotion for Cornette Library Faculty Research Session, third place, Debany Arcienega-Saenz, a senior public relations/advertising/applied communicatino major from Lovington, New Mexico; and Felipe Carrera, a May 2023 finance graduate from Arlington
- 1910 PR Blog, third place, 1910 PR staff
Established in 1909, TIPA is the oldest state collegiate press association in the nation and has grown to be one of the country’s largest and most respected collegiate groups. The association hosts an annual convention with live contests, workshops, professional development, networking, and an awards ceremony to recognize work previously published in student media outlets and live competition winners.
The Prairie News and 1910 PR offer students the opportunity to participate in experiential learning opportunities and internships while serving the WT and surrounding communities by providing news and information, which are key principles of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised nearly $160 million.
About The Prairie News
The Prairie News, established in 1919, is the West Texas A&M University digital newspaper. Its content is written, edited, and produced entirely by students. Archives of the print issues can be found in WT’s digital repository.
Photo: Carlie Rutledge, a junior strategic communication major from Willis, Bradley Pollock-Santos, a junior psychology major from Los Cabos, and JoLina Lopez, a senior digital communication major from Abernathy, are pictured at the 2024 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Conference in San Marcos.
