January 21, 2000

Bowling Green, Ky. -- A Western Kentucky University student has won first place for editorial writing in the 40th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program and will compete in the national writing competition for the second straight year.

Matt Batcheldor, a senior from Bardstown, won a $2,000 scholarship for his editorial "Hush Money" that appeared in The College Heights Herald, WKU's student newspaper. Batcheldor, who won the spot news category last year, will travel to San Francisco in May to compete for national writing honors.

In the in-depth writing competition, John Stamper, a December 1999 graduate from Monticello, placed seventh. He received a $500 scholarship for stories on recycling rates in California that he wrote during a summer internship at the San Jose Mercury News.

The School of Journalism and Broadcasting's first Hearst entries in broadcasting competition finished in the top nine.

Aimee Reed, a senior from Columbia, won third place, a spot in the competition semifinals and a $1,000 scholarship for her radio stories on a 90-year-old nursing home resident and on spring break for WKU students.

Julie Goodwin, a junior from Louisville, finished ninth and received a $500 scholarship for stories on noisy trains near the WKU campus and on Homecoming Queen competition. The stories by Reed and Goodwin aired on WWHR-FM 91.7, Western's campus radio station.

WKU's School of Journalism and Broadcasting receives matching grants for each award.