‘The News’ wins at KPA

The Murray State News staff won more than 30 awards at the 149th annual Kentucky Press Association (KPA) Convention, held Jan. 25–26 in Lexington, during an awards banquet that recognized the top collegiate and professional entries in reporting, photography, design and advertising categories.

Students with The News won 33 awards overall, 13 more than the previous year, for work published October 2016 through September 2017.

“Murray State has an elite group of collegiate journalists and many of them choose to work for The Murray State News,” said Dr. Stephanie Anderson, adviser to The Murray State News and assistant professor of journalism and mass communications. “They are able to gain experience beginning as freshmen working on an award-winning college newspaper. By the time they graduate, these student journalists have the knowledge, skills and experience to compete for the top journalism jobs in the country.”

Award winners from The Murray State News include the following students:

Best General News Story (First Place): Collin Morris of Lewisport
Best General News Story (Second Place): Katlyn Mackie of Hopkinsville
Best Features Story (Third Place): Sydni Anderson of Indian Mound, Tennessee
Best Column (First Place): Gisselle Hernandez of Orange Walk, Belize
Best Sports Feature Story (Second Place): Blake Sandlin of Calvert City
Best Ongoing Coverage (First Place): Staff
Best Business/Agriculture Story (Second Place): Sabra Jackson of Frankfort, Indiana
Best Use of Social Media (First Place): Staff
Most Creative Use of Multimedia (Third Place): Ashley Traylor of Helena, Alabama
Best Features News Picture (Second Place): Jenny Rohl of O’Fallon, Illinois
Best Sports Picture Essay (First Place): Chalice Keith of Glen Allen, Missouri
Best Special Section (Second Place): Staff
Best Sports Section (Second Place): Staff
Best Lifestyle Page (First Place): Emily Williams of Paducah and Gisselle Hernandez
Best Lifestyle Page (Second Place): Gisselle Hernandez
Best Editorial Page (Third Place): Hallie Beard of Taylorsville and Tyler Anderson of Bowling Green
Best Front Page (Third Place): Staff
Best Headline (Second Place): Connor Jaschen of Hopkinsville
General Excellence Award in News (Second Place): Staff
Best Clothing Store Advertisement (First and Second Place): Austin Gordon of Benton
Best Entertainment/Dining Advertisement (Third Place): Austin Gordon
Best Special Sections (Second Place): Staff
Best Holiday Greeting Ads and General/Miscellaneous (First and Second Place): Austin Gordon
Best Special Events Advertisement (Second Place): Austin Gordon
Best Creative Use of the Newspaper/Newspaper Promotion (First and Second Place): Austin Gordon
Best Online/Digital Ad (First Place): Austin Gordon
General Excellence Award in Advertising (Second Place): Staff

Gordon also won three certificates of merit in addition to the awards listed above.