Stephen F. Austin State University’s Student Publications/Divisional Media staff members attended the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association conference and competition March 23-26 in Fort Worth. Pictured, back row from left, are Sandra Carranza, Emma Crisp, Alyssa Coker, Jordan Armstrong and Ella Bolton; and, front row from left, are Kaylee Lopez, Meaghan Morton, Abigail Archibald and Renee Fain.
The Pine Log, SFA’s student newspaper, earned 12 awards for previously published/broadcast content, and the Stone Fort yearbook won nine awards for its 2020-21 volume. KSAU, SFA’s student-run radio station, also received a first-place award in the advertising/PSA/Promo-Audio category.
Nine student members of The Pine Log and Stone Fort staffs attended the annual TIPA conference in late March and competed in on-site competitions against student journalists from other TIPA-member institutions. The Pine Log Editor-in-Chief Alyssa Coker won third place in Critical Review, and Stone Fort section editor Emma Crisp won first place in Print Advertising Design and honorable mention in Sports Photo. Approximately 300 student journalists and advisors representing 34 Texas colleges and universities attended the three-day event held in Fort Worth.
“Our students work exceptionally hard throughout the year to produce high-quality content for our student publications and other media outlets, and accolades from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association reinforce the value of that work and the importance of student media’s role on a college campus,” said Amy Roquemore, SFA director of student publications and divisional media. “I’m obviously very pleased with their latest recognition, but I’m even more proud of the hard work our students put in each day to keep the campus community informed and to provide a forum for discussion of important issues facing our campus and our society as a whole.”
Meaghan Morton, Stone Fort editor-in-chief and graduate assistant for the Student Publications/Divisional Media department, attended the conference this year for the fifth time. Graduate students are not eligible to compete; however, Morton attended workshops and assisted undergraduates in navigating the conference and preparing for competition.
“I like to describe TIPA as a revival for the journalist’s spirit,” Morton said. “These students are truly put on the spot in their competitions, which often present them with the most challenging journalistic obstacles they have been up against so far in their career. Watching them network, grow in their field and gain confidence as young journalists is rewarding.”
Coker, a senior, said she was grateful for the opportunity to attend the annual TIPA conference and competition, which was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.
“Participating in the TIPA convention was such a rewarding experience in itself,” she said. “Besides the fact that Student Publications staff members earned several awards, the staff deserves every ounce of recognition they get, and it’s so nice to applaud them for their hard work with a fun learning experience.”
Established in 1909 at Baylor University, TIPA is the largest and oldest collegiate press association in the United States. The organization works to recognize excellence in campus media and open channels of communication and cooperation among student media programs at two and four-year universities in Texas.
The following is a complete listing of TIPA awards SFA students earned for work produced during the 2021 calendar year:
The Pine Log
First place, Breaking News – Alyssa Coker, editor-in-chief
Third place, Breaking News – Alyssa Coker, editor-in-chief
Third place, Overall Web Design – Staff
Third place, General News Photo – Emily Nava, photographer
Honorable mention, Sports Column – Renee Fain, managing editor
Honorable mention, Multimedia Feature – Emma Hill, former news editor; Renee Fain,
managing editor; Elena Barnes, former video coordinator
Honorable mention, Editorial – Emma Hill, former news editor
Honorable mention, Feature Story – Emma Hill, former news editor
Honorable mention, General Column – Emma Hill, former news editor
Honorable mention, Editorial Cartoon – Mary Mone, former illustrator
Honorable mention, Photo Story – Lizeth Rodriguez, former photo coordinator
Honorable mention, In-Depth News Reporting Video – Emma Hill, former news editor
Stone Fort
First place, Environment Portrait – D’Marcus McDowell, former photographer
First place, Feature Photo – Nick Andrews, former photographer
Second place, Illustration – Jordan Butts, section editor
Second place, Sports Page Design – Jordan Butts, section editor; Porter Newman, former
section editor; Meaghan Morton, editor-in-chief
Second place, Cover Design – Staff
Third place, Static Information Graphic – Staff
Third place, Sports Feature Photo – D’Marcus McDowell, former photographer
Honorable mention, Inside News Spread Design – Jordan Butts, section editor
Honorable mention, Sports Feature Photo – Lizeth Rodriguez, former photographer
Mass Communication Department
First place, Advertising/PSA/Promo-Audio – Shaylin Simmons (KSAU)
