UM J-school makes Top 10 in Hearst Awards

Individual awards to J-school students pushed the University of Montana into 10th place in this year’s prestigious Hearst Journalism Awards competition.

In addition, UM’s J-school won 10th place in both the photojournalism and broadcast news divisions of the competition, in which more than 100 undergraduate journalism schools compete nationwide.

"Considering the competing programs, most of whom outstrip us in resources and student populations, our winning in the top 10 in overall achievement is remarkable--and wonderful," said J-School Dean Jerry Brown. "The high finish represents national recognition of the depth and breadth of talent in our students and faculty."

The Hearst awards, considered the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism, cap a year-long competition in which schools accumulate points. The competition includes six contests in writing, three in photojournalism, two in radio broadcast news and two in television broadcast news each academic year, beginning in October and ending in April.

The monthly competitions honor the top 10 winners with awards ranging from $500 to $2,000. The schools receive matching grants.

The following J-school students won individual awards in the contest this year:

• Peet McKinney, a senior photo student, won 6th place in the sports and news photo category
• Jamey Daniel, also a senior photo student, tied for 19th place in the sports and news photo category.
• Lindsey Lear, a junior in broadcast news, won 14th place in the radio feature competition.
• Damaris "Madie" Beltran, a senior in broadcast news, placed 15th in TV News.
• Johanna Feaster, a junior in broadcast news, placed 15th in the Radio News competition.
• Robin Catterton, also a junior in broadcast news, placed 18th in Radio News.
• Chad Dundas, a senior in print journalism, placed 18th in opinion writing.
• Courtney Lowery, Kaimin editor and a senior in print journalism, tied for 12th place in feature writing.

The Hearst Journalism Awards, funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, are presented annually under the auspices of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.