SEMO’s Arrow wins 21 awards at state journalism competition

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI) — Southeast Missouri State University’s student newspaper, Arrow, won 21 awards at the Missouri College Media Association Awards ceremony on April 12, including first place for Best Overall Newspaper in Division 2.

The Arrow earned top honors in multiple categories, including investigative reporting, website design and multimedia packaging. The publication also excelled in the campus engagement category, taking home three of the four available awards.

Much of the award-winning work originated from classroom assignments in courses taught by Dr. Tamara Buck, chair of the Department of Mass Media, and Instructor Michael Simmons.

“We’re incredibly proud that nearly a third of these awards came from assignments developed in our classrooms,” Buck said. “It speaks to the strength of our collaborative model — students are learning, innovating and producing content that stands out across Missouri.”

The Arrow’s awards include:

— First place, Division 2 Best Overall Newspaper
— First place, Website
— First place, Multimedia Package
— First place, Special Section or Supplement
— First place, Campus Engagement/Promotion

The university’s mass media program allows students to learn from award-winning professors and experience a professional newsroom culture, preparing them to compete and win at high levels.