Liberty Champion Staff Place in Multiple Press Competitions

The Liberty Champion and several of its staff and writers have won several awards in three competitions – the Evangelical Press Association Awards, the American Scholastic Press Association Awards and the Baptist Communicators Association’s 54th Annual BCA Awards Competition.

In the EPA Awards, the Champion received an Award of Merit for its digital version of the campus paper. Palm Beach Atlantic University and Messiah College also won Awards of Merit in the digital category for campus newspapers.

In the ASPA Awards, the Champion received a first-place award. The sports section won an Outstanding Section Award. The Champion competed against other college and high school newspapers around the country.

In the BCA Awards, the Champion took home the second place Overall Publication award for newspapers, placing behind Baylor University. Five other staff and writers on the Champion also received awards for articles and photos.

Assistant news editor Erin Covey took home a second-place award in the news writing division for single articles. Her piece was titled “End of DACA Brings Concern for Some Liberty ‘Dreamers’”.

Photographer Dean Hinnant placed second in the student photography division, under series, for his piece called “Get Downtown”. Champion photography editor Jacob Buwalda received third place in the division’s single photo category for his work titled “Andy Roddick”.

Champion reporter John Vence’s article, “Leaving His Marc on the Art World”, placed third in the feature writing division, competing with other single articles.

In the news division for opinion pieces, reporter Logan Price received third place for his article, “Raised to Do God’s Work”.

According to a note on the website, the purpose of the competition is “to encourage professional excellence among association members and to recognize those members who have done exemplary work.” The competition is open to members of the Baptist Communicators’ Association.

BCA Awards judges included reporters, editors, award-winning designers and other communications professionals, according to the website. Members of the Bramblett Group, a marketing, advertising and public relations team, also participated in the judging, according to the website.

The competition was named after Wilmer C. Fields, a former vice president of public relations for the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. More information about the competition and a full list of winners can be found at http://www.baptistcommunicators.org/awards/.