Being a student journalist can be tough sometimes — really tough.
This year, we’ve seen sophomores join The Post after the COVID-19 pandemic upended most of their traditional freshman year experience. We’ve also seen freshmen who are new to college life during a pandemic join our staff, and upperclassmen who have adjusted back to in-person classes with some pandemic-induced changes. In one way or another, everyone on our staff is managing this whole “working through a pandemic” situation.
Although working during a pandemic can be incredibly exhausting at times, it also makes our successes feel that much sweeter.
The Post recently took home awards from several competitions we entered. Relishing in these moments of success reminds us that despite the difficult circumstances we face right now, there is value and impact in the work we continue to do.
The 2022 Ohio Collegiate Awards were presented virtually Feb. 25 by the Ohio News Media Association, or ONMA. The Post earned six different awards.
Our news staff received first place in news coverage, and our sports staff received second place for sports coverage. On the visual side, our photo staff was awarded second place in photojournalism, and our design staff placed second in the design category.
Individually, two Posties won awards as well. Post alumnus and former senior writer Grant Ritchey tied for first place in the in-depth reporting category for his series “Two Fires, One Pandemic.” Managing Editor Bre Offenberger placed third in headline writing for a review of Lucy Dacus’ album Home Video.
Recently, five Posties traveled to New York City over spring break to attend the National College Media Conference. These individuals not only had the opportunity to represent The Post during the awards ceremony but also to attend sessions to expand upon skills in reporting, design and more.
There, The Post won three awards. We placed second in news delivery, third for best overall newspaper and an honorable mention for best podcast.
The podcast recognized was “Yes Ma’am,” which is hosted by Ashley Beach, Molly Burchard and Maria Monesi. On the podcast, the three hosts discuss women’s sports at OU and beyond. They’ve even had Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan on the podcast as a guest.
This year has been a tough adjustment for some of us to get back into the swing of things. The newsroom is buzzing again, and things are moving at a faster pace than they were a year or two ago. But, being recognized for our hard work reminds us to stop and smell the roses. Through all of the obstacles, Posties have continued to build on their skills, break news stories and create beautiful visuals to accompany articles. The experiential learning that happens inside the walls of Baker 325 alone is worthy of recognition, and these awards remind us that amid difficult times, we’ve skillfully pushed forward.
Abby Miller is a senior studying journalism and political science at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Abby at am166317@ohio.edu or tweet her @abblawrence.
