Optimist
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Editorials
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Features
    • Book Review
  • Multimedia
    • Photo Galleries
    • Videos
  • Podcasts
    • Optimist Overtime
    • Top of the Key
  • Police Log
  • Print Edition
  • Projects
  • About
    • Advertise
    • Policies
    • Staff Contacts
    • Jobs
You are here: Home / News / JMC students win awards at Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

JMC students win awards at Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

April 7, 2016 by Erika Bolado

JMC students won 28 awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association in Dallas last weekend.

ACU was the only school to place first in two of the five news journalism contests, and the JMC Network Newscast won first and third place in the pre-submitted published/broadcast contest. The online website won first place in best blog and best interactivity. More awards were given to staff members in the newspaper, radio and online categories.

“To me that says something that we are doing something right in those visual areas,” said Kenneth Pybus, associate professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication and adviser to the Optimist.

TIPA is one of the oldest and largest collegiate press associations in the country with more than 70 universities and colleges around Texas involved.

TIPA began at Baylor University in 1909, and the Optimist was only six-years-old when it became a participant. Contests have grown from three initial competitions to contests in general magazine, radio, television, online, two divisions of yearbook, literary magazine and six divisions of newspaper, plus more than 25 on-site contests during the annual convention.

Every year, Pybus and Cade White, instructor and visuals adviser to the JMC Network, chaperone a group of students who compete in several categories. This year, 14 JMC majors competed in downtown Dallas for two days. Every two years, a new location is chosen. Last year, the event took place in San Antonio.

Savanah Silva, senior convergence journalism major from San Antonio, competed for her first time and won first place in news video for the on-site competition. Silva also won third place in the pre-submitted contest for radio production.

“It’s super stressful but also worth it because you get a chance to get your work looked at by professionals in the workforce, and they can kind of give you feedback on what you need to work on and what is good,” Silva said. “I was super excited; I did not expect to place.”

Although the event was stressful, it shows ACU students stack-up well against some of the top universities in Texas, Silva said.

Jonathan Ward, another first-time student at TIPA, who won first place in PR Crisis Management and second in Press Release Writing.

“I was honored to represent the university, and it felt good to apply what I learned in the PR classes and kind of get that to feel validated by the competition,” said Ward, junior advertising and public relations major from Plano. “It was a good feeling.”

Students competing in the on-site competitions got several hours to go to the destination and either write, shoot video, edit, produce or do all before deadline.

“I think competing in this event made me better equipped for a professional situation,” Ward said. “I wasn’t really nervous, I felt as if the JMC really prepared me for the event.”

Other on-site competition winners include Lydia Lawson for first place in news photo, Daniel Zepeda in second for print sports writing, Rachel Mallary in third for yearbook design, Elijah Evans in third place for radio advertising and Rachel Fritz received honorable mention for headline writing.

TIPA also awards annual scholarships to qualified students, gives recognition to the chosen faculty adviser of the year and has seminars with guest speakers. Pybus taught about Police, Privileges and Flag Desecration: A Media Law Year in Review at TIPA.

As a student, Pybus competed in TIPA and has been attending for the last 12 years. He describes his attendance as “sort of an annual pilgrimage” and said he enjoys the awards because of the facial expressions of those who get recognized.

Pybus said he chooses students who have excelled throughout the year to attend.

“I always wish I could take more people and give everyone the opportunity to get the benefits of competing,” he said.

Filed Under: News

Other News:

  • Gallery: Spring commencement honors 2021-22 graduates

  • New IM Fields location confirmed

  • At $250 million, Higher Ground aims to make impacts across campus

About Erika Bolado

You are here: Home / News / JMC students win awards at Texas Intercollegiate Press Association

Other News:

  • Gallery: Spring commencement honors 2021-22 graduates

  • New IM Fields location confirmed

  • At $250 million, Higher Ground aims to make impacts across campus

Follow us online

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Optimist on Twitter

acuoptimistThe Optimist@acuoptimist·
4 May

"Maybe we just don’t care enough. But if we do start caring, and if we become the loudest fans in the WAC, let’s stick to supportive cheering." Read more from Guest Columnist Londyn Gray:
https://acuoptimist.com/2022/04/not-so-friendly-competition/

Reply on Twitter 1521918832738144257Retweet on Twitter 15219188327381442571Like on Twitter 15219188327381442578Twitter 1521918832738144257
acuoptimistThe Optimist@acuoptimist·
3 May

Royce Clough and Jael Morel have been named as Mr. and Miss ACU for the class of 2022, a traditional honor voted on by the student body and awarded to two members of each graduating class.

Reply on Twitter 1521607087553458178Retweet on Twitter 1521607087553458178Like on Twitter 152160708755345817819Twitter 1521607087553458178

Optimist on Facebook

The Optimist

2 months ago

The Optimist
"Maybe we just don’t care enough. But if we do start caring, and if we become the loudest fans in the WAC, let’s stick to supportive cheering." Read more from Guest Columnist Londyn Gray: ... See MoreSee Less

Not-so-friendly competition - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

BY: LONDYN GRAY “Number 18, you look like you don’t shower!” I chuckled and shrugged it off. “Londyn!” They had looked up the roster. “Do you even brush your teeth?” I laughed again, rol...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

The Optimist

2 months ago

The Optimist
Cullen Auditorium is expected to be handed over to the university in June 2022, alongside a name change that coupled with the renovation will create new future for the Cornerstone class, Chapel and the Department of Theatre. ... See MoreSee Less

Cullen Auditorium still set for a name change alongside renovations - Optimist

acuoptimist.com

Cullen Auditorium is expected to be handed over to the university in June 2022, alongside a name change that coupled with the renovation will create new future for the Cornerstone class, Chapel and th...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Videos

Women’s tournament run ended by first-round exit against UTRGV

The Wildcats’ Western Athletic Conference tournament run and season came to a ... [Read More…]

  • Optimist Newscast Feb. 22. 2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.16.2022
  • Optimist Newscast 2.9.2022

Latest Photos

  • Home
  • Weekly Ads
  • Classifieds

© 2022 ACU Optimist · All Rights Reserved

Posting....