Delta State University’s student newspaper The Delta Statement won a total of 14 statewide awards in the annual “Better Newspaper Contest” judged by the Mississippi State Press Association. The awards were announced at the 13th Annual O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference at the Mississippi Children’s Museum in Jackson on Thursday, March 29.
The Delta Statement won second place for its newly launched website. The publication was also awarded third place for editorials, as well as honorable mentions for general excellence and front page design.
Delta Statement layout editor Rachel Bush won first place for her “Event Calendar,” due to what the judges termed the “eye-catching, seasonal look,” as well as a second and third place for ad design. Photographer Libby Ezell won first place for her news photo “Student Remembrance Vigil”, taken at a memorial service for two DSU students killed in a traffic accident in Fall 2011. The judges commented that it was “a moving photo… you can feel the power of the moment.” Ezell’s photo of DSU swimmer Vlad Zinca won third place in the sports photo competition.
Other award winners were former sports editor Ben Kossman, second place for sports columns; editor-in-chief Emma Alford, third place for her news story “Delta State Remembers”; staff writer Shawanda Lee, third place for movie reviews; cartoonist Andrew Hurst, third place for his editorial cartoon “Lucas Luminous”; and news editor McCulloch Tardy, honorable mention for her feature story “John Ford: A Love of Words.”
Delta State competes in the senior colleges and universities division against, Mississippi State, the University of Southern Mississippi, Millsaps, Alcorn State, and Jackson State.
“These awards reflect the hard work of Delta State students and their pride in consistently producing one of the best campus newspapers in the state,” commented Patricia Roberts, Associate Professor of Journalism and advisor to the Delta Statement. “The entire Delta State community benefits the consistent high quality of this award-winning publication.”
