College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

Western Kentucky University’s School of Media & Communication continued its tradition of national success in the annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program with a second-place finish in the 2025 Overall Intercollegiate Competition, a first-place finish in the Intercollegiate Photo Competition and a second-place finish in the Intercollegiate Multimedia Competition.

WKU has placed in the top eight overall for 33 straight years with four overall championships in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2018.

The top 10 schools in the 2025 Overall Intercollegiate Competition are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; WKU; University of Missouri; Indiana University; Arizona State University; Texas Christian University; Oklahoma State University; Michigan State University; University of Oregon; and Syracuse University.

Often called “The Pulitzers of college journalism,” the 65th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program offers 14 competitions annually including four writing, two photo, one audio, two television, four multimedia and one podcast awarding up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends. There are 105 universities of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication with accredited undergraduate journalism programs that are eligible to participate in the Hearst competitions.

In the 2024-2025 Hearst program, WKU finished first in the Intercollegiate Photojournalism Competition and received a $10,000 award, second in the Intercollegiate Multimedia Competition and received a $5,000 award and ninth in the Intercollegiate Audio, Television, Podcast Competition.

Awards will be presented during the Hearst program’s 65th annual National Writing, Photojournalism, Audio, Television and Multimedia Championships in San Francisco, California. Three WKU students will compete for national championships May 30 - June 6. Emilee Arnold of Alvaton is one of five finalists for the National Photojournalism Championship, while Brett Phelps of Bardstown and Madeline Powell of Louisville are two of five finalists for the National Multimedia Championship.

WKU students have won 17 Hearst individual national championships since 1985 — photojournalism in 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014 and 2016; multimedia in 2015, 2023 and 2024; writing in 1985; and radio news in 2006.

WKU’s history of success in Hearst competitions includes winning the Intercollegiate Photojournalism Competition 30 times in the past 36 years and winning the Intercollegiate Multimedia Competition nine times since it was added in 2010.

The top 10 schools in the 2025 Intercollegiate Photojournalism Competition (highest accumulated student points from the two photo competitions) were WKU; University of Kentucky; University of Montana; University of Kansas; Ohio  University; University of Missouri; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Syracuse University; University of Arizona; and University of Florida.

The top 10 schools in the 2025 Intercollegiate Multimedia Competition (highest accumulated student points from the four multimedia competitions) were University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; WKU; University of Missouri; University of Florida; University of Oregon; Syracuse University; University of Southern California; Michigan State University; Arizona State University; and Pennsylvania State University.

The top 10 schools in the 2025 Intercollegiate Intercollegiate Audio, Television, Podcast Competition: (highest accumulated student points from the audio, television, and podcast competitions) were University of Missouri; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Arizona State University; Michigan State University; University of Florida; University of Maryland; Ohio University; Pennsylvania State University; WKU; and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Earlier this spring,13 students finished in eighth place in the Hearst Multimedia Digital News/Enterprise Team Competition: Ali Costellow of Bowling Green, Connor Marchant of Middlesboro, Von Smith of Louisville, Emilee Arnold of Alvaton, Dominic Di Palermo of St. Charles, Illinois, Lauren Howe of Owensboro, Preston Jenkins of Kevil, Kayden Mulrooney of Louisville, Adin Parks of Louisville,  Arthur H. Trickett-Wile of San Antonio, Texas, Sean McInnis of Louisville, Madeline Powell of Louisville, and Garrett Woodrum of Union.

Contact: School of Media & Communication, (270) 745-4144.

- WKU -

Western Kentucky University prides itself on positioning its students, faculty and staff for long term success. As a student-centered, applied research university, our students expand on classroom learning by integrating education with real-world applications in the communities we serve. Our hilltop campus is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, which was recently named by Reader’s Digest as one of the nicest towns in America, just an hour’s drive from Nashville, Tennessee.