SJMC Students Receive Milwaukee Press Club Excellence in Journalism Awards

On May 6, the Milwaukee Press Club announced the winners of its Excellence in Journalism Awards at its annual Gridiron Awards Ceremony. The event honors professional and student journalists for their work in a variety of categories, including feature stories, video, audio and more. Students from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication took home 22 awards, including eight top prizes. Additionally, many SJMC alums received awards in the professional categories. You can see the full list of winners on the Milwaukee Press Club website.

Congratulations to all of our student and alumni award recipients!

Kim Leadholm (left) and Gaby Vinick posing with the plaque for their Gold award in the Best Newscast category for the November 19 episode of The Badger Report.

Best Pandemic Story in Print

GOLD – Will Cioci, The Daily Cardinal, “For new freshmen, a daunting and exciting fresh start”

Best News Story

BRONZE – Samantha Henschel, The Daily Cardinal, “Students fumble resale football tickets”

Best Long Hard Feature Story

GOLD – Kate Morton, Curb Magazine, “A Watershed Moment”

Best Long Soft Feature Story

SILVER (tie) – Maya Fidziukiewicz, Curb Magazine, “Our Own Little Chapel”

BRONZE – Kalli Anderson, The Daily Cardinal, “Ex-Badger tight end returns to the classroom amidst pandemic”

Best Investigative Reporting

GOLD – Cailyn Schiltz and Natalie Zientek, The Daily Cardinal, “Continuously Unsafe: UW admissions puts student sexual assault survivors at risk”

SILVER – Cailyn Schiltz, The Daily Cardinal, “ Student tenants inhabit unsafe conditions while property managers profit”

BRONZE – Addison Lathers, The Daily Cardinal, “Why isn’t Lakeshore Path lit?”

Best News Story Single or Ongoing

GOLD – Hope Karnopp, The Daily Cardinal, “Cardinal Call: Students Getting Scammed Over Digital Football Tickets”

Best Feature Story

BRONZE – Honor Durham, Gaby Vinick, Cole Wozniak and Julia Wiessing, The Daily Cardinal, “The Student Dive: Our Impact Episode 1”

Best Podcast

GOLD – Sophia Madore, On the Record, UW Madison, “Do You Dabble?”

SILVER – Maya Fidziukiewicz, On The Record, UW Madison, “More Than A Pierogi”

BRONZE – Lucas Latterell, On the Record, UW Madison, “Commander’s Intent”

Best Feature Story

BRONZE – Jerome Barnett, The Badger Report, “Jewop-a-Cappella”

Best Sports Story

BRONZE – Kelsey Tehan, The Badger Report, “UW and the NFL Team Up to Prevent Head Injuries”

Best Newscast

GOLD – The Badger Report Staff: Kim Leadholm and Gaby Vinick, The Badger Report UW Madison, “The Badger Report newscast for November 19, 2021”

BRONZE – The Badger Report Staff: Ben Kenney and Amona Seleh, The Badger Report UW Madison, “The Badger Report Newscast December 12, 2021”

Best Program, Documentary or Special

GOLD – Zoe Bockhorst, UW Madison, Cutting Class Program, “ Tagged”

Best Use of Multi-Media

SILVER – Elea Levin, Cailyn Schiltz and Tamia Fowlkes, Curb Magazine, “Blackout: The Dark Side of the Drunkest State in America”

BRONZE – A Tale of Two Cities Staff: Beatrice Lawrence, Brandon Landsberg, Robin Robinson and Meredith Opie, A Tale Of Two Cities, UW Madison, “A Tale of Two Cities”

Best Local News or Feature Website

GOLD – Beatrice Lawrence, Brandon Landsberg, Robin Robinson and Meredith Opie, 335 Staff, UW Madison A Tale of Two Cities, “A Tale of Two Cities”

Best News Story

BRONZE – Sophia Vento and Lekha Kachoria, The Daily Cardinal, “Sen. Ted Cruz event moved off campus due to UW-Madison masking policy, sparking controversy”