UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

Patriot Talon at UT Tyler Recognized for Journalism Excellence

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April 27, 2016

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

Students on the Patriot Talon staff at The University of Texas at Tyler received 21 awards at the 2016 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Convention held in Dallas, Dr. Dennis Cali, UT Tyler Department of Communication chair, announced.

The annual convention is an opportunity for student journalists to compete in on-site competitions and be recognized for work from previous publications.

The Talon staff placed first in "Overall Excellence" in Div. IV, one of five divisions.

For the third consecutive year, Patriot Talon editor in chief Nathan Wright of San Angelo placed first in the print sports writing on-site contest, where all students compete despite school enrollment and publication schedule. He also placed first in the headline writing on-site contest. Design editor Nicholas Harp of Texarkana was another on-site competition winner, placing third for magazine design and receiving honorable mention for print advertising.

"The Talon continues to rank as one of the state's top-tier student media outlets," said Cali. "The Department of Communication is very pleased with the opportunity that the Talon gives students to hone their journalistic skills, and we're very proud that peer institutions rate our students' work as among the very best."

At the convention, Wright and news editor Zak Wellerman of Hallsville also were named TIPA 2016–17 president and secretary, respectively.

Awards won by Patriot Talon staff in Div. IV for previously published content were:

• Wright – first place, picture story; second place, sports feature photo; third place, page one design and sports feature story; and honorable mention, sports action photo
• Wellerman – third place, in-depth reporting
• Nizia Alam of Tyler – first place, news story and page one design; and honorable mention, sports feature photo
• M.K. Northum of Longview – first place, newspaper illustration; and second place, general magazine illustration
• Lee Maqsood of Tyler – third place, feature photo
• Grace Malone of Santa Barbara, Calif. – honorable mention, news photo
• Austin Countryman of Grand Saline – honorable mention, single subject presentation design
• Countryman and Antwanise Jackson of Streetman – honorable mention, general magazine cover

In addition, Brenna Brown of Dallas, Savannah Harris of Palestine, Alejandra Fajardo of College Station, Daniel Pierce of Longview, Wellerman and Wright received second place in the Online Div. II "Best Video Package" category.

The Patriot Talon, the student-run media outlet at UT Tyler, is designed to inform, entertain, educate and heighten awareness of students, faculty, staff and administrators at the university.

For more information, call 903.566.7253.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.

TIPA Awards: Members of the Patriot Talon staff at the 2016 TIPA Convention in Dallas with their Overall Excellence Award. Top row from left: Nathan Wright, LouAnna Campbell, Nicholas Harp, Emily Springer, Whitley Crawford.
Bottom row, from left: Zak Wellerman, Lee Maqsood, Olivia LeVoy.