Goshen College newspaper, television and radio rake in state awards

GOSHEN, Ind. – The Goshen College Communication Department has been busy lately writing, filming, editing, recording, producing and winning. Students were recently rewarded with top honors for their efforts in state competitions for college communicators.

The Indiana Collegiate Press Association presented "The Goshen College Record” with 16 awards – a record number of awards for the weekly campus newspaper – including a second-place finish in the newspaper-of-the-year category for 2004. Associate Professor of Communicator Duane Stoltzfus is the faculty adviser for the newspaper, and chair of the communication department.

"The Record” took both first and second places in the category of best staff editorial. 2004 graduates Landon Yoder (Goshen) and Elise Hofer (Lawrence, Kan.) received first place recognition for a pair of editorials, with Yoder writing on pacifism and Hofer on the "challenge to represent a readership much more diverse” than newspaper staff itself.

Emily Hershberger, a 2004 graduate from Portland, Ore., took second place for an editorial titled "Creating an Accurate History,” based on the author Jim Loewen's challenge to rethink history and Hershberger's call to "challenge the narratives of the present,” such as the war in Iraq.

Senior Celeste Kennel-Shank (Washington, D.C.) received second place in best non-deadline news reporting for her coverage of Shirley H. Showalter's resignation as president of Goshen College in August 2004. The judge wrote: "The lead is sharp and concise, and the story culls Showalter's own memories of Goshen College with ruminations from colleagues and students alike.” In related coverage, sophomore Megan Blank (Souderton, Pa.) earned third place in deadline news reporting for "A Bittersweet Day,” which covered Showalter's final presidential address in the fall semester.

In the best news feature category, senior Saulo Padilla (Goshen) won second place for a feature story on a student who was inclined to go barefoot, even in the snow. With evident bemusement, the judge wrote: "Come on, he's got to be cold. I'm sure everyone knows this guy on campus.”

Contributing writer and GC sophomore Diana Perez (Cassopolis, Mich.) received a third-place award for her column, a personal reflection on fair trade coffee, "Just Java for Grandma.”

Junior Melanie Histand's (Goshen) report on the women's basketball team's history-making trip to nationals took third place in the best sports news category.

In news photography, senior Joel Fath (Goshen) took first place for "A Peaceful Existence,” a photo of an Amish boy running the base paths on a ball field. In the sports photography category, junior Zac Albrecht (Goshen) garnered first place (for soccer) and third place (for cross-country) honors. Rebecca Allen (Seattle, Wash.) and David Johnson (Goshen), both 2004 graduates, combined efforts to depict a May Term course in Peru for a third-place finish in the photo essay category.

Judges also recognized the student-staffed newspaper for its humor, honoring seniors Brett Buller (Bluffton, Ohio) and Danny King (Danville, Ill.) a first place in best informational graphic for the “Buller-King Guide to Mennonite Dancing.” Sophomore Joe Hartman (Goshen) received first place for best editorial cartoon, with a critique of the college's new residential policy that featured a watchtower and spotlight. His commentary read: "Despite popular opinion, Goshen adopts new 25-to-life on-campus residence policy.”

In the illustration category, Yoder received a second place award for "A Goshen College Education.” Senior Drew Herstam (Stephens City, Va.) took third with "Retirement in the Fast Lane.”

The awards cover the 2004 calendar year, during which Yoder served as editor in the spring, junior Anna Groff (Lancaster, Pa.) in May Term and Kennel-Shank in the fall. Goshen College competes in Division III, which includes non-daily newspapers published at schools with enrollments of 2,000 or fewer full-time students.

The 2005 Indiana Association of School Broadcasters also presented awards to Goshen College students for their work in television and radio broadcasting – an award area without divisions that sees both large universities and small colleges competing for recognition.

Goshen College finished in second place overall in the "2005 TV School of the Year” category in combined scoring for its television news program, "GCJournal,” placing just behind the much larger Ball State University. “GCJournal” is produced by students and advised by Associate Professor of Communication Ronald Johnson. This annual competition is judged by Indiana professional broadcasters.

In addition, senior Mark Gingerich (Iowa City, Iowa) received a first-place award in news feature story package for "Karate Student.” “GCJournal” also received first place for other non-news live TV studio program with a live in studio music segment, which involved a dozen students in creating the segment.

Sophomore Erini Shields (Yorktown, Ind.) received a third-place award for a TV commercial spot, a spoof piece titled "Dorm Theft.” And freshman James Weber (Reading, Pa.) received a second-place award for a music video with “Heaven.”

In the radio category, senior Ben Steininger (Larkspur, Colo.) received both a second-place award in the news feature category for a story about AIDS in Swaziland as well as a third-place aware in station imaging for his promotions of "91.1 FM The Globe” featuring Americana musical artists.

Goshen College, established in 1894, is a four-year residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college's Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron's Best Buys in Education, "Colleges of Distinction,” "Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a "least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.

Editors: For more information, contact News Bureau Director Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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