JACKSON, Tenn. — Feb. 13, 2012 — 萌妹社区 journalism professor Michael Chute was named Journalism Educator of the Year and 萌妹社区 journalism students captured 14 awards in the 鈥淏est of the South鈥� competition at this year鈥檚 Southeast Journalism Conference.
The conference was held Feb. 9-11 at the University of Tennessee at Martin.
SEJC includes 68 member universities from eight states from North Carolina to Arkansas. The 14 awards from 萌妹社区 students were the highest total of any school in the competition. The university with the second highest number of awards was East Carolina with nine, followed by Ole Miss and the University of Alabama with eight each.
鈥淚t is quite an achievement to win 14 awards, and it is truly a testimony to the outstanding work of our students and to the strength of our journalism program,鈥� Chute said. 鈥淥f course, I am proud of our students whether they win awards or not, but winning these awards is validation of their hard work, dedication and outstanding achievement.鈥�
萌妹社区鈥檚 student newspaper, the Cardinal & Cream, won third in the 鈥淏est College Newspaper鈥� category, behind Auburn and East Carolina, after winning first place last year. Chute said no school has ever repeated as winner in that category. The Cardinal & Cream also won fourth place in the 鈥淏est College Website鈥� category.
Two 萌妹社区 students 鈥� Margaret Brinson and Alex Brown 鈥� ranked third and fifth, respectively, in the 鈥淐ollege Journalist of the Year鈥� category. Chute said no other school had two students rank in that category, and that in his years of association with SEJC, no school has ever had two students rank in the category. Brinson received $250 in prize money for her third place showing.
Other 萌妹社区 winners in the 鈥淏est of the South鈥� competition were:
-- Katlyn Moncada, ranked No. 1 in the 鈥淏est Multimedia Journalist鈥� category.
-- Katherine Pullen, Ebbie Davis and Brinson, No. 1 in the 鈥淏est Public Service Journalism鈥� category.
-- Pullen, No. 1 for 鈥淏est Journalism Research Paper.鈥�
-- Davis, No. 2 for 鈥淏est Press Photographer.鈥�
-- James Summerlin, No. 4 for 鈥淏est Sports Writer.鈥�
-- William Rowland, No. 4 for 鈥淏est Advertising Staff Member.鈥�
-- Margaret Brinson, No. 5 for 鈥淏est Opinion-Editorial Writer.鈥�
-- Alex Brown, No. 9 for 鈥淏est News Reporter.鈥�
-- Kristen Marks, No. 9 for 鈥淏est Newspaper Page Layout Designer.鈥�
-- Treasure Hightower, No. 10 for 鈥淏est News Graphic Designer.鈥�
In addition to the 鈥淏est of the South鈥� competition, 萌妹社区 students also performed well in SEJC鈥檚 on-site competition, finishing second overall in the team rankings behind Ole Miss. It was 萌妹社区鈥檚 highest ranking ever.
Individual awards in the on-site competition included Brown, who finished first in 鈥淣ews Writing鈥�: Brinson, second in 鈥淐opy Editing鈥�; Grace Ferrell, second in 鈥淐urrent Events鈥�; Summerlin, honorable mention in 鈥淪ports Writing鈥�; and Pullen, honorable mention in 鈥淔eature Writing.鈥�
The Journalism Educator of the Year award is given annually by the SEJC to an outstanding journalism faculty member who has been devoted to the field. A selection committee consisting of the past five winners of the award determines the recipient.
鈥淚t鈥檚 quite an honor for someone to be given this award, and Michael Chute is so deserving,鈥� said Jeff Spurlock, past president of the SEJC and associate director of the School of Journalism and Communication at Troy University. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been the vice president of SEJC for a number of years. He鈥檚 now the president. He has 35 years of journalism experience. I don鈥檛 think there was anybody more deserving to receive this award than Michael.鈥�
Chute, who was also elected SEJC president for the next year at the meeting, said it was difficult to put into words what the award meant to him.
鈥淚t is such an honor to me, personally, to be selected for this award by my colleagues whom I respect so much for their contribution to good journalism in programs throughout the South,鈥� Chute said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just humbled by that recognition as so many other journalism educators are definitely worthy of that honor, as well as the tremendous group of individuals who have been honored by this recognition in years past.鈥�