Orion Editor Receives Hearst Journalism Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 21, 2006
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
Glen Bleske, Journalism Department
530-898-4770
Orion Editor Receives Hearst Journalism Award
Brea Jones, a graduating senior in journalism and online editor of The Orion, California State University, Chico's student newspaper, has won second place in the national spot news writing competition of the 2005-2006 Hearst Journalism Awards Program.
Sixty of the best students from 38 journalism programs entered the competition, which is presented under the auspices of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.
Jones won $1,500 and CSU, Chico's Department of Journalism will receive a matching grant to be used for scholarships.
Jones' winning piece was headlined "Porno stains Greek image." The story, written under extreme deadline pressure, details the University's decision to suspend a fraternity for participating in the filming of a pornography movie. It was published March 30, 2005.
In addition to being online editor at The Orion, Jones also has served as assistant news editor, news editor and copy editor.
Jones is a double major and will complete her bachelor's in journalism and political science in May. The Society of Professional Journalists has awarded her the Pulliam/Kilgore Freedom of Information Act Internship, which will send her to Indianapolis after graduation for a summer of researching and reporting First Amendment issues.
"Brea's reporting and writing deserved this big-time award," said Glen Bleske, interim adviser to The Orion and chairman of the journalism department. "Second-place is impressive, given that she was competing against undergraduates and graduate students at some of the nation's top universities. Her story was graphic, yet fair, accurate and written with sensitivity. I'm sure the judges understood how difficult her task was."
Jones' winning story can be read online.
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