A trio of Elizabethtown College Department of Communications students earned 2021 Student Keystone Media Awards by sweeping the Best Feature (Broadcast) category.
Jessica Freels ’22 was awarded first place for her entry, “Benny the Bird.” Samantha Seeley ’21 earned second place for “Spotted Lantern Flies,” and Cameron Scandle ’22 received Honorable Mention for “Flags.”
“I’m extremely proud of these students and the work they did,” said Kirsten A. Johnson, Professor of Communications. “They crafted excellent stories that showcased their abilities to write, shoot, and edit. I’ve had these three students in several of my classes over the years and it has truly been a pleasure getting to know and to work with them all.”
The three Blue Jays wrote and edited these news stories this fall as one of their assignments in Johnson’s COM 316: Broadcast News class. The course is primarily for junior and senior Digital Media Production majors that focus on gaining skills in news writing, storytelling, shooting, and editing.
“As someone interested in broadcast production, it was amazing to have the opportunity to produce content ready for air,” said Freels. “I wouldn’t have been able to make my video, much less feel comfortable sharing it, without Dr. Johnson and the rest of the support I have in the Com Department.”
The Student Keystone Media Awards contest recognizes high school and college journalism that provides relevance, integrity, and initiative in serving readers. Any student at any public, private or parochial Pennsylvania high school, college, or university who has had his or her material published in the school newspaper or digital news site.
“Dr. Johnson and the entire communications department really paved the way to show me what it takes to produce a great news piece,” said Scandle. “They have always been available and very approachable, which is so important for projects such as this.”