University Star receives multiple awards at 2021 TIPA Convention

The University Star won 24 awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association annual conference for work published in 2020. The University Star competes in Division I with the following schools: Baylor University, Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech, TCU, SMU, UT-Rio Grande Valley, UT-Arlington, UT-El Paso and UT-Dallas. The awards are:
 

First Place Awards:

• Environmental Portrait – MLK Commemoration (Jaden Edison)
• General News Video – A Lifeless City (Rebecca Harrell)

Second Place Awards::

• Overall Design (Web) – (Morgan Byers)
• Photo Story – Community devastated by tragic death of police officer (Jaden Edison, Rebecca Harrell)
• Interactive Graphic – The 11% Project Timeline (Staff)
• Multimedia Feature – The 11% Project Timeline Editorial (Staff)
• Headline Writing – Volleyball finds magic broom in Halloween sweep against Mavericks (Staff)
• Breaking News – Texas State student-athlete killed in apartment shooting (Staff )
• Feature Reporting (Audio) – Behind the names – (Hannah Thompson, Michele DuPont)
• Sports Column – Opinion: Football is not worth athletes risking long-term COVID-19 complications (Toni Mac Crossan)

Third Place Awards:

• Cover Design Newspaper – BLM Summer I issue (Molly Gonzales, Blake Wadley, Jaden Edison [3], Rebecca Harrell)
• Multimedia Sports Story – Revisiting Michael Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ at Texas State (Aidan Bea)
• Documentary Video – Blevins (Haley Brand)
• Editorial – Stop hiding COVID-19 information (Editorial Board)
• Feature Photo – ‘It is our time to speak’ (Jaden Edison)
• Feature Reporting (Audio) – Necessary now, forever essential – (Rebecca Harrell)
• In-Depth News Reporting (Audio) – ‘We built this country’ (Rebecca Harrell)
• Sports Feature Photo – Texas State’s missed opportunities lead to heartbreak in I-35 rivalry (Kate Connors)
• In-Depth News Reporting (Video) – Black history professors reflect on the significance behind Juneteenth (Daniel Weeks, Rebecca Harrell)

Honorable Mention Awards:

• Feature Story – Raising Declan (Aidan Bea)
• Environmental Portrait – Bicycle repair (Douglas Smith)
• General News Photo – Community ‘devastated’ following tragic death of police officer (Jaden Edison)
• Overall Design – Feb. 18 Housing Guide Issue (Molly Gonzales)
• Sports Action Photo – TXST vs. Arkansas State (Kate Connors)

The University Star was named a regional finalist for 10 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Region 8 awards and won five. Region 8 includes all schools in Oklahoma and Texas. The winners will go on to compete at the national level. These awards are:

• Staff, Editorial Writing | Region Winner
• Aidan Bea, Sports Writing | Region Winner
• Staff, In-Depth Reporting | Region Winner
• Staff, Breaking News Reporting | Region Winner
• Staff, Online In-Depth Reporting | Region Winner • Staff, Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
• Jaden Edison, General News Photography
• Kate Connors, Sports Photography (Large)
• Staff, Best Affiliated Website
• Staff, COVID-19 Coverage (Large)

Congratulations to all of our outstanding students!