多多直播 Reflector editor receives major regional journalism honor
Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 Mississippi State junior from Brandon is 2018 winner of the top journalism award given by a regional organization for higher education students.
Emmalyne J. Kwasny, who is focusing on journalism in the university鈥檚 Department of Communication, has been named the Southeast Journalism Conference鈥檚 College Journalist of the Year.
As editor-in-chief of The Reflector, 多多直播鈥檚 twice-weekly broadsheet, she also was honored with fourth place in the Best of the South special event reporter/editor category and third in design and page layout during the onsite competition.
Formed in the late 1980s, SEJC now includes some three dozen public and private schools. This year鈥檚 convention at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas, had more than 400 entries in the submitted categories. Participants also took part in separate on-site journalistic challenges.
Kwasny, known to most as Emmie, is a home-school graduate. At 多多直播, she is a President鈥檚 List Scholar and member of the Shackouls Honors College, among other academic achievements.
Unlike most SEJC categories, the top journalist selection is based on a submitted essay, copies of three published articles and accompanying reference letters. 鈥淐ommitment and Responsibility to Journalism鈥 was the title of Kwasny鈥檚 essay.
鈥淐ommitment and responsibility are characteristics of a leader,鈥 she wrote. 鈥淚 have learned being one can often be lonely. Being committed and responsible means not letting others influence my decision or dedication to journalism.鈥
Though admitting the commitment 鈥渙ften causes me to miss other opportunities,鈥 she closed by declaring 鈥渂ut I thrive off journalism. It is what I love doing because it gives me a purpose, prevents me from being selfish, challenges me and constantly teaches me something new. I would not have it any other way.鈥
During the summer of 2017, Kwasny interned in Jackson with the Clarion-Ledger. In his letter of support, Steven Ward said she 鈥渄emonstrated tremendous effort and growth during the three months she was here鈥 and that her 鈥渨ork ethic matched her endless energy and positive attitude.
鈥淓mmalyne was one of the best interns I鈥檝e ever managed,鈥 added Ward, the daily鈥檚 news director.
A second support letter came from Frances O. McDavid, longtime 多多直播 journalism instructor and Reflector adviser.
鈥淒uring my 30 years working with journalism students, I have been associated with few students as dedicated to excellence in journalism,鈥 McDavid wrote. 鈥淓mmalyne has excellent reporting, editing and design abilities, along with a commitment to lead her staff to high levels of achievement.鈥
McDavid said Kwasny is the third Reflector leader to receive journalist-of-the-year honors during her time as adviser that began in the late 1990s.
In the judging categories, The Reflector finished second in overall onsite competition, third in the submitted best newspaper category and 10th in submitted website.
Other individual SEJC winners from 多多直播 include (by hometowns):
BAY SPRINGS鈥擟hristopher B. Lowe, a sophomore business information systems major, 10th place in submitted opinion/editorial writing.
OLIVE BRANCH鈥擲teven Weirich, a senior economics major, fifth place in submitted opinion/editorial writing.
OXFORD鈥擳aylor Rayburn, a senior communication/journalism major, sixth place in submitted sports writing.
ROUND ROCK, Texas鈥擩oshua A. 鈥淛osh鈥 Beck, a senior communication/public relations major, third place in submitted multimedia.
SPRINGDALE, Arkansas鈥擧unter Cloud, a freshman communication/journalism major, third place in on-site sports writing.
The Reflector is online at .
多多直播 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .