Four staff members won awards or were finalists at the competition.
Surely the point of journalism is not to win awards. The best reporting offers thorough context, tells stories that aren’t often shared and exposes neglect.
That’s something we take seriously, and though we avoid equating success with industry honors, we were pleased to see others are noticing our commitment. Over the weekend, The Post won best all-around daily student newspaper for the Society of Professional Journalists Region 4 Mark of Excellence competition.
Additionally, four staff members won or were finalists in various categories among publications at colleges of at least 10,000 students. Editor-in-chief Emma Ockerman won best breaking news reporting for her article on former Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly’s 2015 criminal conviction. Copy Chief Olivia Hitchcock won best general news reporting for her 2015 Post Modern on emancipated former foster youth attending Ohio University.
Senior Citizen columnist Erin Davoran was a finalist for best general column writing, and Julia Fair was a finalist for best general news reporting for her coverage of how the shuttering of OU’s Survivor Advocacy Program has affected students.
We also want to send our congratulations over to our fellow Scripps publications and students for also earning awards.
Even though we are not writing for a certificate or plaque, it’s nice to see our reporters’ work get recognized on a statewide level. We’re proud of the work we’ve done and the work we are going to keep on doing for the rest of the year.
Editorials represent the majority opinion of The Post's executive editors: Editor-in-Chief Emma Ockerman, Managing Editor Rebekah Barnes and Digital Managing Editor Samuel Howard. Post editorials are independent of the publication's news coverage.
