April 04, 2007
Bowling
Green, Ky. -Western Kentucky University’s award-winning photojournalism program is celebrating its Sweet 16.
For the 16th time in 18 years, WKU won the Hearst Intercollegiate Photojournalism Championship. The Hearst program is often called the “Pulitzers of College Journalism.”
WKU jumped from No. 4 to No. 1 with first- and third-place finishers in the final photojournalism contest in the 47th annual William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program. WKU was followed by Florida; Missouri; Nebraska-Lincoln; Southern Illinois, Carbondale; San Francisco State; Arizona State; North Carolina; North Texas; and Ball State.
“We really played the part of comeback kids this time around,” said James Kenney, coordinator of the photojournalism program in WKU’s School of Journalism and Broadcasting. “But this is a reflection of our students and the quality of work they do. I’m really proud of them.”
Edward Linsmier, a December graduate from Saxe, Va., won the Picture Story/Series Competition and received a $2,000 award. Linsmier is working for Food for the Poor, an international Christian humanitarian aid organization based in Coconut Creek, Fla. Carl Kiilsgaard, a sophomore from Corvallis, Ore., finished third and received a $1,000 award. The School of Journalism and Broadcasting received matching awards.
Linsmier and Kiilsgaard will submit additional photos for the semifinal round of judging. Two other WKU students, junior Christian Hansen of Louisville and senior Jonathan D. Woods of Maple Grove, Minn., also will submit photos for the semifinals after their top five finishes in the earlier photo contests.
WKU students have won the Hearst individual photojournalism championship for three consecutive years and eight times overall (’87, ’88, ’91, ’92, ’96, ’04, ’05, ’06).
“The Hearst contest reflects excellence,” Kenney said. “The results reflect that we’re doing great things and have great students. Of course, we have great faculty who go the extra mile for our students.
“Photojournalism is about making great photographs and telling great stories. Our students have the ability to do both really well.”
The Hearst program holds yearlong competitions in writing, photojournalism and broadcast news. WKU has finished in the top four nationally for eight consecutive years, winning the overall title in 2005, 2001 and 2000.
This year’s final winners will be announced later this month.
The Hearst program, funded and administered by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, operates under the auspices of the accredited schools of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication. More than 100 schools participate in the program, which awards more than $400,000 in scholarships and grants annually.
For more on the Hearst program, visit http://www.hearstfdn.org/hearst_journalism/index.php
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
For information, contact School of Journalism and Broadcasting at (270) 745-4143.
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Office of Media Relations
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1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, Ky. 42101-3576
Phone: (270)745-4295 - Fax: (270)7455387 - E-Mail: western@wku.edu