Skip to Content

College of Information and Communications

Outstanding students honored for academics and involvement

Posted April 20, 2015


Students in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications were recognized and awarded for their involvement and academic achievements at the annual Honors and Awards Ceremony on April 16, 2015. 

Among those recognized at the ceremony were seniors selected by faculty for top honors in their academic sequences. 

Advertising

  • Landon Masters -  Outstanding Advertising Senior

Electronic Journalism

  • Gregory (Ryan) Toland - Outstanding Electronic Journalism Award for Leadership
  • Laura Smith - Outstanding Electronic Journalism Award for Reporting

Journalism

  • Avery Wilks - J. Rion McKissick Award
  • Rebecca Johnson - George Buchanan Award

Mass Communications

  • Natalie Swift - Outstanding Mass Communications Senior

Public Relations

  • Mary Cate Duffy - Outstanding Public Relations Senior
  • Tashera Pravato - Hugh Munn Award

Visual Communications

  • Savannah Taylor - Outstanding Visual Communications Senior
  • Hayden Antal - Photographer of the Year
  • Bradford Pouncey - Designer of the Year

SEQUENCE AWARDS

Advertising

  • AAF Most Promising Multicultural Students - Liana Miller, Alexis Mood
  • College Media Business and Advertising Managers Award  - David Cheetham
  • Alpha Delta Sigma - Jacqueline Brown, Jordan Dick, Mary Alison Herlong, Suzanna Kutcher, Caitlyn Leary, Liana Miller, Alexis Mood, Shannon Rogers, Kellie Sinkele
  • AAF National Student Advertising Competition Team - Jacqueline Brown, Bianca Correa, Jordan Dick, Mary Alison Herlong, Paige Jones, Andrew Keese, Suzanna Kutcher, Caitlyn Leary, Angelina LeGare, Landon Masters, Liana Miller, Taylor Morrison, Shannon Rogers, Kellie Sinkele, Canon Blackwell (apprentice), Mark Dillon McLain (apprentice), Dr. Glenda Alvarado (adviser), Karen Mallia (adviser)
  • CreateAthon@USC
    PASOS Team - Silver ADDY - Mark Dillon McLain, Rebecca Maurer, Liana Miller, Jamie Osborn, Caitlin Page, Ian Peacock, Stephanie Tew, Holly Williams. Rhonda Templeton and Karen Nasuti (mentors)
    Hidden Wounds Team - Silver ADDY - Jacqueline Brown, Kelsie Conrad, Brandon Paul, Haley Rabic, Charles Searles, Kellie Sinkele, Maria Sturmer. Woody Hinkle (mentor)
    4ward (Columbia’s Cooking!) - Silver ADDY - Christian Barker, Lowman Harley, Victoria Infinger, Taylor Morrison, Shannon Rogers, Deveney Williams, Victoria Zugehar. Dr. Tara Mortensen and Derek Walker (mentors)
    Ronald McDonald House - AAF of the Midlands Best Campaign Award
    Bianca Correa, Casey Ksau, Jackie Foster, Landon Masters, Jennifer Pham, Anna Stevens, Marissa Taylor, Molly Wyatt. Bernie Heller and Dr. Geah Pressgrove (mentors)
    Karen Mallia and Scott Farrand (executive creative directors)

Electronic Journalism

  • SPJ Region 3 Mark of Excellence Awards
    Sports Reporting Winner - Rixon Lane - "Recruiting Rankings" 
    General Reporting Finalist - Laura Smith - "Ebola" 
    In-Depth Reporting Finalist - Laura Smith - "Bus Cameras" 
    In-Depth Reporting Finalist - Kathleen Jacob - "Adderall Abuse" 
    Feature Reporting Finalist - Emily Pacillo - "Blue Sky"
  • Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas Awards
    Best Student News - Reporting Emily McDonnell - "Carolina Alert" 
    Best Student Sports - Story Rixon Lane - "Recruiting Rankings" 
    Best Feature Reporting - Jordan Gougeon - "Eliza's Story"
  • The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Southeast Region
    Student News Emmy - Ashleigh Holland - "Empty Gun Holsters"
    Student News Emmy Nominees: Nathan Canniff-Kuhn, Jacob Zulanch, Marjorie Sliker, Jordan Gougeon

Journalism

  • Society of Professional Journalists Region 3 Mark of Excellence Finalists 
    Feature photography: Sarah Ellis
    Sports writing - 
    Isabelle Khurshudyan
  • Henry Price Copy Editing Scholarship - Rebecca Johnson, Brett Williams
  • S.C. Press Association Mundy Scholar - Andrew Moore
  • S.C. Press Association Collegiate Press Awards
    Collegiate Journalist of the Year - Hannah Jeffrey
    News Story: First Place - Hannah Jeffrey; Second Place - Thad Moore; Third Place - Kyle Heck
    Arts & Entertainment: First Place - Katie West; Hon. Mention - Manny Correa
    Multimedia: First Place - Harrison Cahill, Jared Owenby
    Feature Story: First Place - Hannah Jeffrey; Second Place - Sarah Ellis; Third Place - Hannah Jeffrey 
    Sports Story: First Place - Isabelle Khurshudyan; Second Place - Sarah Ellis 

Public Relations

  • PRSSA Student Agency Campaign of the Year and Winner of  Donate Life Duel for Organ Donation sponsored by Lifepoint and USC’s Trew Friends Chapter - The Carolina Agency - Fall 2014:  Sarah Barkal, Michael Beaudoin, Kayla Cooper, Kaitlin Daley, Elizabeth Dukes, Katie Eilbracht, Allison Finkelston, Rachel Ford, Robert Maloof, Andriana Nazarian, Ashley Pullen, Harry Sopher, Holly Stewart, Kimberly Stover, Savannah Taylor, Nicole Turano, Hannah Vistica, Carolyn Walden, Nina Waring, Jeff Ranta (adviser) 
  • The Bateman Team - Mary Cate Duffy, Allison Finkelston, Nicole Hornung, Tori Infinger, Katie Northcutt George L. Johnson (adviser)
  • 2015 Magellan Scholar - Emily Olyarchuk
  • 2014 MarCom Awards 
    Fall 2013 InterComGolds in: Magazine/Educational Institution, Design/Magazine, Design (Print)/Cover, and Writing/Magazine. Hon. Mention: Design/Magazine Interior.  Executive Editor: Lisa Sisk; Design Editor: Zach Sykes; Students: Liz Bailey, Jenna Bernstein, Brendan Conley, Mario Cuadros, Christian Dickson, Michele Dressler, Sarah Freese, David Gaizler, Joy Gannaway, Emily Greenwell, Lauren Kerns, Lindsey Meade, Geena Mongole, Tim Olson, Allie Papajohn, Stephanie Purvis, Shannon Rogers, Sarah Snedecor, Emma Swanson, Maddy Trott,Ellie Walker 
    Spring 2014 InterComGolds in: Magazine/Educational Institution, Writing/Magazine. Hon. Mention: Design/Magazine, and Design/Magazine Interior.  Executive Editor: Lisa Sisk.  Design Editor: Zach Sykes. Students: Christine Coper, Makena Cummings, Kelly Goebel, Melissa Heim, Amanda Hendrix, Noelle Jones, Kara Joyce, Erin Koons, Joanna Meyer, Tiffiney Miles, Monica Munoz, Brendan Murphy, Kelsey Publicover, Drew Ricci, Bethany Schifflin, Cameron Stehle, Annie Wilson, Eli Windham 

Visual Communications

  • Campus Movie Fest Jury Award, Campus Finalist for the video “Recurrence”  - Hayden Antal
  • Photographer’s Forum Magazine, Fourth Place Best of College Photography - Olivia Rogers
  • South Carolina News Photographer Awards 
    Singles: First Place - Daniel Hou; Second Place -  Kara Palso; Third Place - Amanda Perry
    Student Stories: First and Third Place - Deveney Williams; Second Place - Daniel Hou
    Multimedia: First Place - Megan Vince; Second Place - Kay Stogner; Third Place - Lauren Kelly  

HONOR SOCIETIES

Honor Graduates

Kayla Alexander, Denarius Allen, Sarah Ames, Kathryn Appelbaum, Wyatt Avison, Sarah Barkal, Samantha Beiser, Thomas BellSara Betenbaugh, Meredith Borkowski, Michael Brandewie, Michelle Brown, Erin Burke, Lauren Burner, Anna Burns, Tessa Carpenter, Rachel Carter, Ariana Cassard, Alexis Cattano, David Cheetham, Lila Chickvary, Emmonie Crumblin, Kaitlin Daley, Jaclyn Davis, Jordan Dick, Damian Dominguez, Lee Dozier, Michele Dressler, Mary Ellen Dudash, Alysha Duff, Mary Cate Duffy, Leah Edwards, Katie Eilbracht, Jennifer Faulkner, Ashley Fellona, Sarah Ferraro, Allison Finkelston, Morgan Finley, Jacqueline Foster, Jamie Friedlander, Walker Fritz, Karalyn Gibbs, Rebecca Giller, Sarah Gledhill, Carly Green, D’Asia Green, Sha’Mya Green, Megan Guilfoyle, Melissa Gundling, Stephanie Haag, Kristin Hendrickson, Mary Alison Herlong, Taylor Herlong, Kelly Holcombe, Jasmine Hoveyda, Jennifer Iler, Jacob Isenberg, Annika Jonsson, Ciara Kavanagh, Lili Kinman, Caitlyn Leary, Tayler Lenart, Dawn Logg, Lauren Lott, Jessica Malette, Julia Mallard, Landon Masters, Liana Miller, Jason Mohn, Camlin Moore, Julia Morgan, Caitlin Morris, Jeanne Morrison, Taylor Morrison, Olivia Morrissey, Andriana Nazarian, Kathryn Northcutt, Erin O’Connell, Katherine Oldham, Emily Olyarchuk, Kalyn Oyer, Caitlin Page, Kara Palso, Alexis Payne, Casey Pigott, Rebecca Piner, Bradford Pouncey, Stephanie Purvis, Laurie Pyner, Haley Rabic, Virginia Ramsey, Alexandra Randall, Aaron Reeser, Susanne Rodriguez, Shannon Rogers, Christopher Rosa, Alice Scarborough, Holly Sealey, Katherine Sexton, Alicia Seymore, Bailey Sharpe, Kristin Sheetz, Katie Shelgren, Amanda Sherpy, Kellie Sinkele, Nicole Smith, Whitney Smith, Jacqueline Snyder, Rachel Spraker, Savannah Strom, Kathryn Sullivan, Deborah Swearingen, Natalie Swift, Marissa Taylor, Savannah Taylor , Emily Thickens, Jocelyn Thomas, Lindsey Thompson, Gregory Toland, Rachel Tripp, Alivia Troxell, Kayla Tuff, Nicole Turano, Olivia Weaver, Avery Wilks, Christian Wolf

Kappa Tau Alpha

Top Undergraduate Scholars (4.0 GPA):  Tyson Blanton, Elaina Dove, Sarah Emily Gledhill, Rachel Jeanette Ravencraft and Brett Lee Williams

Tayler Marie Belinske, Matthew Dean Bowen, Chandler Bryce Brotak, Renee Elizabeth Cooper, Mary Catherine Duffy, Allison C. Edwards, Andrea Esselman, Allison Finkelston, Jacqueline Paige Foster, Jessica Gorman, Kittridge Lee Janvrin, Anna Marie Koehler-Shepley, Chardonnay Alexis Ismail, David Van Ligon, Charnita Mack, Stephanie Lyn Orr, Christopher Michael Rosa, Natalie Briann Swift, Marie Kathryn Maness, Jessica Wood


Challenge the conventional. Create the exceptional. No Limits.

©