UTA student newspaper earns top honors
The Shorthorn, UTA’s student-run news agency, has been recognized with 97 awards from four organizations for excellence in reporting, editing, photography, design, marketing, sales and more.
The awards were received over a two-week time period at conventions and conferences held across Texas. These accolades represent achievement at the state, regional and national levels. Most awards are based upon work from 2016, per entry rules.
At the state level, The Shorthorn was awarded the ‘Best Non-Daily Student Newspaper’ by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors. The students and staff entered their three best print editions from 2016.
The paper also earned many honors from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association. Daniel Carde, a journalism junior and Shorthorn photojournalist, and Nia Bailey, a December 2016 graduate and former Shorthorn designer, were named Photographer of the Year and Designer of the Year, respectively. Director of Student Publications Beth Francesco was awarded the Charles Choate Memorial Adviser of the Year award based upon letters from current students, alumni and industry professionals.
The Shorthorn was recognized as the best all-around daily student newspaper by the Society of Professional Journalists Region 8, which represents Texas and Oklahoma. The staff also earned honors for their coverage of the July 7, 2016, shooting in Dallas. UTA’s regional winners will go on to compete at the national level.
At the national College Media Advertising and Business Managers conference, Shorthorn Sales Manager Austin Hutchinson was named advertising manager of the year. Hutchinson is a marketing junior. The organization also recognized The Shorthorn’s sales training program and digital strategy.
The Shorthorn has established itself as a leader among student newspapers. In the fall, the paper was named a Pacemaker for a second year in a row. The Pacemaker award is considered the pre-eminent award among collegiate student media.
See a list of all 97 award-winners here.
The Shorthorn began publishing in 1919 and has been online since 1997. The student-led staff reports and edits the equivalent of a full newspaper daily on theshorthorn.com, and produces a separate print edition each Wednesday. The paper is housed under Student Publications within the Department of Student Affairs.
About The University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a Carnegie Research-1 “highest research activity” institution. With a projected global enrollment of close to 57,000, UTA is one of the largest institutions in the state of Texas. Guided by its Strategic Plan 2020 Bold Solutions|Global Impact, UTA fosters interdisciplinary research and education within four broad themes: health and the human condition, sustainable urban communities, global environmental impact, and data-driven discovery. UTA was recently cited by U.S. News & World Report as having the second lowest average student debt among U.S. universities. U.S. News & World Report lists UTA as having the fifth highest undergraduate diversity index among national universities. The University is a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is ranked as the top four-year college in Texas for veterans on Military Times’ 2017 Best for Vets list.
