The top students in each of the programs in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications were recognized at the annual JMC Honors Banquet April 9.
The outstanding seniors were Andrea Moore, advertising: Ashney Williams, graphics communication media; Lexy Gross, journalism; Sierra Underhill and Kiaya Young, public relations; and Halle Pinkham, television production.
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| Outstanding seniors recognized at the spring honors banquet included, from left: Halle Pinkham, TV production; Lexy Gross, journalism; Sierra Underhill, public relations; Andrea Moore, advertising; and Kiaya Young, public relations. Not pictured: Ashney Williams, graphics communications media.
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Moore had minors in art and in graphic communications technology. She was the social media marketing intern with MSU and graphic design intern with Interbrand New York.
A member of the Ads Club, she was inducted into Alpha Delta Sigma for her scholarship and professional activities. She was selected for this year’s Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
She was also a part of the Racer Band, the Racer Pep Band, Sigma Alpha Iota and Campus Lights.
Williams had a successful internship with Letica Corporation in Fulton. She also worked as a patient care coordinator with Rotech Healthcare and as a student worker with the Murray State Career Services office.
She was a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority and a volunteer for Needline and Habit for Humanity.
Gross, who also had a major in political science, served in several positions with The Murray State News, including editor in chief.
She had internships with the Lexington Herald Leader, the Nashville Tennessean and the Chicago Tribune. She was a correspondent for USA Today, Paducah Life magazine and the Murray Ledger & Times.
She was a Roy W. Howard National Reporting Competition Fellow, a Top 10 Student Leader at Murray State, the Outstanding Sigma Sigma Sigma member in the region and the recipient of the William Broughton Fellowship.
President of the MSU Panhellenic Council, she was selected to be in this year’s Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
Underhill’s minor was in advertising. She was a member of the Ads Club, Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority and this year’s selection of Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
She had two internships with Martin Williams Advertising in Minneapolis, one in project management and on in account management.
Young, a member of Public Relations Student Society of America, was an intern for the Four Rivers Carson Center in Paducah and a consulting photographer for VUE magazine.
She was president of the WKRR Junior League, a First-Year Leader and a member of Sigma Eta honor society.
Pinkham was also selected to Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities.
She worked for MSU TV-11, was the OVC media correspondent and host for “This Week in Racer Athletics.”
A member of Public Relations Student Society of America, she was a writing intern for the MSU Print Media office and an intern for Project Transformation in Nashville.
As a member of the soccer team, she was on the OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll for all three years and earned the Medal of Honor this year.
She was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority, Student Ambassadors, MSU Campus Outreach, MSU Student Alumni Association and the College of Business Ambassadors.
Kyle Smith and Allison Hilliard shared the award for the outstanding graduate student.
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| Dr. Debbie Owens, center, recognized the outstanding graduate students Allison Hilliard, left, and Kyle Smith, right, at the spring honors banquet.
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Smith, a native of Mayfield, earned his master’s degree in the fall of 2014. While at Murray State, he served as treasurer of the Ads Club, worked in advertising and page design for The Murray State News and was a writer for MSU TV-11.
He currently owns and operates the Kyle Smith Design Company, serving west Kentucky and the region.
Hilliard, a graduate of Centre College from Hazel, also completed her master’s degree in the fall of 2014. She is the co-owner of the Hazel Antique Mall, coordinator of the Hazel Day Celebration, president of the Hazel Lions Club and a member of the board of directors of the South 641 Water District.
Nine students were inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha, the national honorary journalism fraternity. They were Benjamin Fincher, Shannon Hilkey, Paige Hoffmeister, Brieana Johnson, Kelley Kennedy, Benjamin Joseph Manhanke, Andrea Moore, Halle Pinkham and Kiaya Young.
Brieana Johnson, a television production major with a 3.97 grade-point average, was named Kappa Tau Alpha Top Scholar winner.
The top seniors were recognized at the University honors day program the day before graduation.
