Award

Yesterday I received my first of (hopefully) many awards for my work.  I was invited to the Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence award luncheon in Birmingham. This luncheon started the SPJ Region 3 conference.  Of course, I went.  I drove from Tallahassee to Tuscaloosa -- where my little sister goes to school.  My mom, dad and grandmother were there visiting her.  The four of us (everyone minus my sister) drove the next day to Birmingham for the luncheon.  On our way there, I was thinking about this award and what it might mean... I knew I had received an award, but wasn't sure what place I got.

I found out that I got first place in the radio in-depth award reporting category.  This means that I will continue onto the national competition.  I have a hard time believing that my story received first place.  I'm amazed and awestruck.  I was proud of that work when I submitted, but I had no idea that it might actually win. 

The piece was about the transfer of authority between two college presidents: one past, one present.  Dr. Thomas Kent (TK) Wetherell retired and allowed Dr. Eric Barron to assume responsibility of FSU President.  I interviewed both men and compiled bits and pieces of the interviews into one long (15 minutes long) piece for the radio.  

This Mark of Excellence award has only deepened my passion for journalism.  This is just affirmation that I'm actually GOOD at what I do.  That's a good feeling.  It only pushes me to do better work, find deeper meaning in stories and work harder.