A photo essay produced by University of South Carolina students won first place nationally in the Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence Awards, one of the nation's most prestigious competitions honoring collegiate journalism. Two additional USC students earned finalist recognition in the national competition.
The first-place essay, "A Glorious Day for Horses, Hats and Photojournalists at the 2025 Carolina Cup," was published by the Carolina Reporter and featured photographs by students Jack Bradshaw, Destini Simon, Darby Bianco, Katie Cannon, Madelyn Farley and Augusta Lewis.
The photographs were created during the Talmadge Moore LeGrand Photojournalism Workshop offered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. In addition to producing compelling visual storytelling, students interviewed subjects, wrote detailed captions and edited both photographs and captions under deadline conditions.
"These students arrived before sunrise and worked for 17 hours documenting the people, traditions and competition that make the steeplechase such a unique event," said SJMC instructor and workshop director Renée Ittner-McManus. "This award reflects not only their talent as visual storytellers, but also their hard work and dedication. It's exciting to see that effort recognized with one of collegiate journalism's highest honors."
Samantha Vassallo and Clarissa Meier were named finalists for stories produced in Carolina News, the broadcast journalism capstone course, with reports airing in the program's daily newscasts.
Finalist honors are awarded only to entries that meet SPJ’s high standards of excellence, making finalist recognition a significant achievement.
Vassallo’s story, "Father Arrested in Halloween Shooting," was recognized as a finalist in the Television Breaking News Reporting category. Meier’s report, "New English Proficiency Test Enforcement Intensifies Truck Driver Shortage," earned finalist honors in the Television General News Reporting category.
About the Talmadge Moore LeGrand Photojournalism Workshop
The Talmadge Moore LeGrand Photojournalism Workshop is funded through a grant established by Janet Tarbox and supported by Canon through the loan of professional photography equipment. It is offered through the journalism special topics course A Photojournalism Adventure at the Carolina Cup: The Thrill of the Chase and is open to students from all majors. Founded by Associate Professor Denise McGill, the workshop is directed by instructor and photojournalist Renée Ittner-McManus.
Professional mentors in 2025 included Yoshi James of the San Francisco Chronicle, freelance photographer John Wollwerth, Allison Isley of the Winston-Salem Journal and Melissa Melvin-Rodriguez of The Charlotte Observer.
During the three-day workshop, students worked alongside professional photojournalists to document the 90th running of the Carolina Cup steeplechase, capturing the event’s competition, traditions and pageantry. Students collaborated in small teams and received hands-on instruction in visual storytelling and event coverage.
Participant and first-place national winner Katie Cannon, now a freelance photographer and internal communications intern for Centene Pharmacy Services, said the workshop was one of her favorite and most insightful student experiences.
"Even though I was a part of the workshop a year ago, it has had a lasting effect on who I am as a photojournalist today," she says. "I have won numerous awards for pictures I took at the Cup, I still have connections with my mentor, and I apply the skills I was taught frequently."