The University of Louisiana at Lafayette collected 12 awards in the Southeast Journalism Conference’s Best of the South competition. The awards were presented during the SEJC’s 28th annual convention held at the Lafayette Hilton this weekend.
The Best of the South Awards are given each calendar year to the top 10 contestants in categories that feature print, radio and television journalism.
The student-run radio newscast, Louisiana Focus, received first place for Best College Audio News Program. The weekly program airs on KRVS-FM, the public radio station on the UL Lafayette campus. KRVS took second place for Best College Radio Station. The Vermilion, the University student newspaper, won fifth place in the Best College Newspaper category.
Lanie Lee Cook of Broussard, La., who received a journalism degree in December and is now a reporter with KPEL radio, received an honorable mention for College Journalist of the Year and took third place as Best Special Events Reporter for a series in The Vermilion about bicycle lanes recently installed on the University campus.
Ashley Hinson, a senior English major and journalism minor from Lafayette, won first place as Best Arts and Entertainment Writer.
Jared Perrio of Lafayette, who received a journalism degree in December, won second place in the Best Feature Writer category. Perrio was student editor for La Louisiane, the University magazine.
Brian Richard, a senior broadcast major from Morgan City, La., took third place as Best Radio Hard News Reporter.
There were three fourth-place winners:
• Annie Ourso, a senior journalism major from White Castle, La., as Best News Writer;
• Jeanne Robichaux, a senior broadcast major from Houma, La., in the Best Radio Journalist category; and
• Kimberly Bradford, a senior broadcast major from Franklinton, La., as Best Radio Feature Reporter.
Mike Francingues, a senior journalism major from Mandeville, La., won ninth place as Best Opinion-Editorial Writer.
A total of 292 students and faculty from 31 schools attended the conference.
The SEJC is composed of 40 member schools in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. The Best of the South Awards are given each calendar year to the top 10 contestants in each category.