Five UTC communication majors have been recognized for their multimedia and journalism skills.
Students Mason Edwards, Bethany Cothran and Cassandra Castillo, and recent May graduates Caroline Colvin and Maddie Charnes, took home top honors in all three student categories—Best Feature Story, Best News Coverage and Best Student Journalist—at the recent Golden Press Card Awards in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Hosted by the East Tennessee chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Golden Press Card Awards’ main goal is to encourage high standards and celebrate the talented writers in the state.
Edwards, the newly appointed UTC Echo editor, won Best Feature Story for “Made for Loving Kiss”—a feature about one fan’s love for the iconic rock band KISS and his journey to self-acceptance. The judges commented, “It was compelling, sympathetic, and painted a whole picture of an individual with differences who decided to capitalize on them.”
“I asked, but at the end of the day, all the awards, all the comments on the Facebook posts, all the love, that’s love for Daniel because I did not write Daniel’s story. He did,” Edwards said of Daniel Sneed, a KISS tribute guitarist who has a form of autism. “He took charge and wrote his own story.
“I am beyond grateful that the story reached the level of impact that it did and was able to praise Daniel’s story for how it did this.”
Edwards credited his communication department professors, including Associate Lecturer Billy Weeks, and his Rising Rock class for his development and success.
Weeks, a faculty member since 2017 and UTC alum, said he has made it his goal to encourage and give students a platform to produce all elements of journalism.
“I think one of the most important things that any professor or any leader can do is to know when to get out of the way,” Weeks said.
This type of freedom allows students to write different kinds of stories which may not be possible in other classroom environments.
Cothran’s writing is an example of this type of freedom.
Cothran, the Rising Rock editor, took home the Best Journalist Award for her work on numerous multimedia pieces covering topics ranging from bull riding to Medal of Honor recipients.
“I love writing the profiles and just getting the little niche things,” Cothran said. “Those are some of my favorite stories to write. But also, I understand the importance of really needing to be well-versed in different stuff. That’s definitely something I’ve strived for and strived to learn in Rising Rock.”
The Best News Coverage award went to the trio of Colvin, Castillo and Charnes.
Colvin graduated in May with bachelor’s degrees in communication and Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures. Charnes graduated with a degree in communication. Castillo is completing degrees in communications and humanities.
“Compelling stories, structured and informative writing,” one judge wrote about their combined works. “It is clear and concise in terms of the storytelling. Better than most professional news stories I’ve read.”
In a different national contest, various works from all Rising Rock students secured UTC a 10th-place spot in the Hearst Intercollegiate Writing Competition, the University’s first Top 10 finish.
“It says a lot about the communication department,” Weeks said. “There’s a lot of talented professors here in this department and I am grateful to get to work with them.”
It also says a lot about the Rising Rock students, he said.
“I was also a student here, so for me to come back and to get to participate in this is very exciting for me, too,” Weeks said. “I hope it continues and I hope we continue to compete—and I couldn’t be more proud of these students.”
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill won the Hearst competition. Other top finishers included the University of Florida, Arizona State University, Pennsylvania State University, Drake University, Indiana University, San Francisco State University, University of Oregon and University of Maryland.
(photo by Billy Weeks).