MSU Texas student media wins Director's Cup at TIPA competition
Midwestern State University’s student media won the statewide Director’s Cup in addition to 41 individual awards at the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association competition in Fort Worth in March.
The Director’s Cup is awarded to the college that accumulates the most points in the 30 on-site competitions. Approximately 35 schools sent representatives to the competition.
“The Wichitan” won second place for overall excellence in the newspaper division, and “Voices” was awarded second place for overall excellence in the literary magazine division.
MSU senior mass communication major Stephanie Robledo won the Frank Buckley Scholarship, and senior mass communication major Omar Combie won the TIPA logo design competition.
Individual students won 12 first-place awards, 13 second-place awards, eight third-place awards, and six honorable mentions.
Jim Sernoe, chair of the Mass Communication Department, said this is the second time Midwestern State has won the Director’s Cup in the past five years.
“I keep telling anyone I talk to that I will put our best students up against any other students in the state,” Sernoe said. “We may be smaller than many programs, but the quality we are producing continues to be outstanding.”
Associate Professor of Mass Communication and student media adviser Jonathon Quam said, “I had no doubt they could win the Director’s Cup. This is a talented group of students who have represented MSU Texas at the highest level. I’m just so proud of them.”
Mitzi Lewis, interim chair of the Mass Communication Department, said, “I’m super proud of our students. I’m also proud of our faculty and staff for all the work they do to help students learn and grow to manage competition logistics, like travel and equipment, and support students in many ways.”
First-place award winners are:
• Omar Combie – magazine design, newspaper sports page design, yearbook design.
• Combie, Abigail Jones, Amos Perkins, and Stephani•e Robledo – website design.
• Gasmyne Cox, Randi Heaton, Alexis Martin, and Jeromy Stacy – documentary.
• Jones – newspaper feature page design.
• Ellie Mahan and Bridget Reilly – in-depth reporting.
• Dakota Mize – video news reporting.
• Miranda Salinas – video news package.
• Colin Stevenson – news photo and sports action photo.
• Dallas Wabbington – editorial cartoon.
Second-place award winners are:
• Ashton Bayliss, Meredith Berend, Jane Browning, and Robledo – literary magazine design.
• Brandon Cerda – television sports writing.
• Corby Chaney – television advertising.
• Ryan Clayton – environmental portrait.
• Combie – video news reporting.
• Combie and Jones – overall newspaper design.
• Thalia Doe Bravo – television announcing/Spanish.
• Gerrant Guiste and Miranda Salinas – video advertising.
• Jones – breaking news photo.
• Robledo – critical review.
• Marissa Salinas – radio news writing.
• Miranda Salinas – video feature reporting.
• Stevenson – sports feature photo.
Third-place award winners are:
• Lauren Colpitts – sports action photo.
• Combie – advertising design.
• Hallie Diehl – literary magazine cover design.
• Jennifer Estrada-Salinas – podcast, television advertising.
• Brayden Headrick – sports reporting.
• Jones – newspaper editorial page design.
• Khirstia Sheffield, feature story.
TIPA is a statewide organization of journalism and mass communication programs with a membership of about 75 universities.