UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

The University of Texas at Tyler Student Media Recognized for Journalism Excellence, Sports Journalist Sets Record

Follow @UTTylerTweet

May 8, 2017

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 2017 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Convention held in Dallas, Dr. Dennis Cali, Department of Communication chair, announced.

For the fourth consecutive year, setting a state record, Patriot Talon managing editor 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 newspaper design and presided over this year's convention as the student president. Overall, Wright has won six on-site contests in four years of attending TIPA conventions.

"We're so proud of Nathan," said Lorri Allen, Talon student media adviser Lorri Allen said, "not just because he's a record-setter, but also because he's been a newsroom leader and cares about the paper being the best it can be."

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

"TIPA is an excellent opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business and compete against schools from all over the state and see how you compare," Wright said.

In previously published material from the academic year, Wright won first-place awards in Div. IV for a sports feature photo of The University of Texas at Tyler women's basketball coach Kendra Hassell cutting down the net after the Patriots won the 2017 American Southwest Conference tournament and a sports news story about the university's softball team winning the 2017 Division III national championship.

The Talon staff also received Honorable Mention in "Overall Excellence" in Div. IV, one of five divisions.

"The Talon continues to distinguish itself among university student media in Texas," Cali said. "Besides gaining great experience through competition, workshops, networking and feedback at TIPA, UT Tyler's student media continues to bring home awards for its ongoing success in multiple facets of journalism. We're very proud of our student journalists."

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

• Wright – first place, page one design; third place, sports feature story; third place, sports feature photo and honorable mention, sports news story.
• Wright and Tyler Campbell of Tyler – second place, sports page design
• Campbell, Ashlynn Bostick of Georgetown, Abbi Parker of Tyler, Kep Walker of Tyler, Zak Wellerman of Hallsville and Ryan Baldridge of Tyler – third place, in-depth reporting
• Nicholas Harp of Texarkana – first place, newspaper illustration
• Allison Reid of Chandler – first place, ad design
• Olivia LeVoy of Flint– first and third place, opinion/editorial page design
• James Fox of Tyler – third place, critical review
• Lily Dorsey of Austin – honorable mention, in-depth reporting
• Lee Maqsood of Tyler – second place, general magazine general news photo; honorable mention, general magazine picture story
• LouAnna Campbell of Tyler – third place, general magazine general news photo
• Leslie Reyna of Tyler – third place, general magazine column/essay

In addition, Brenna Brown of Dallas, Savannah Harris of Palestine, Alejandra Fajardo of College Station, Sam Savell of Tyler, Haylee Lewis of Austin, Jason Weed of Clear Lake and Monica Cordero of Austin received second place in the Online Div. II "Multimedia Package" category.

The Patriot Talon, the student-run media outlet at The University of Texas at Tyler, is designed to inform, entertain, educate and heighten awareness of students, faculty, staff and administrators. For more information, call 903.566.7253.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, The University of Texas at Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at The University of Texas at Tyler, which has an enrollment of almost 10,000 high-ability students. The University of Texas at Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.