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Senior semester students sweep production awards

Posted June 14, 2018
By Rebekah Friedman, CIC communications manager
Top photo: Some of the SJMC students who attended the awards ceremony. (l to r) Katie Augustine, Janelle Buniel, Hayley Anders, Brian Principe, Caitlin Mathias and Allen Devlin.

Four recent School of Journalism and Mass Communications graduates took home five Student Production Awards from the Southeast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for work created in their capstone Senior Semester, an immersive five-day-a-week course in which students report, produce and direct two daily news shows — Carolina News.

The winners accepted the awards at the association’s student awards ceremony on June 9.

Allen Devlin won the Serious News award for his feature, “Cross with Care.” The May 2018 graduate also earned the Light News award for “SC 63.” Devlin plans to attend Columbia University in the fall to pursue a master’s degree in journalism.

Hayley Anders won the Sports award for her feature, “NFL Players Love Charlotte.” A 2017 alumna, she now works as a recruiting administrator for Hall Management Group in Charleston.

The Talent award went to 2017 alumnus Brian Principe, who now works as an athletics and communications employee at Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, South Carolina.

And 2017 alumnus Bryan Solomon accepted the Newscast award on behalf of the staff. 

In total, the University of South Carolina was nominated for 11 awards.

Anders credits the J-school’s broadcast faculty with giving him the skills needed to stand out. 

“Dr. Kevin Hull and Rick Peterson were there guiding me, encouraging me, and challenging me every step of the way,” she says. “Ironically, Greg was my boss before he came to USC, and he also has had a tremendous impact on my life. Because of senior semester I am a stronger communicator and storyteller, even as a recruiter in the hospitality industry.”

Devlin agrees.

“Rick and Greg allowed me to unlock my potential and pushed me every day,” Devlin says. “Any success I have beyond this point I owe to them.”

But Peterson says it wasn’t just faculty that made the wins possible — it was also the students’ unwavering work ethic.

“I’m thrilled for our students who were nominated by the Academy and for those who won,” Peterson says.  “It’s a tribute to their hard work and dedication to producing well-crafted, memorable stories.  They are all so very talented, and I look forward to following their careers.”

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is a professional service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and related media and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the media industry, best known for the coveted Emmy® Award. NATAS has 19 chapters throughout the United States identifying and celebrating television excellence at the local and regional level. NATAS Southeast serves members in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, South Carolina and Asheville, North Carolina.

The Winners

View the winning videos submitted to the competition by clicking on the links below.

 

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