Voice students tops in news design, in-depth reporting

The Voice team poses for a photo at the conference held at Central Michigan University. Paula Farmer | Washtenaw Voice

By The Washtenaw Voice

The Washtenaw Voice received seven first-place awards including best overall newspaper design and best in-depth enterprise reporting at the Michigan Community College Press Association’s annual conference on Saturday, April 1 at Central Michigan University.

In all, Voice students came home with 15 awards from the journalism contest judged by industry professionals.

In addition to the first-places, the Voice was awarded second in general excellence, a category that considers all aspects of a publication’s reporting, visuals and presentation.

The MCCPA contest included work produced March 1, 2022, through February of this year.

The WCC award winners were:

First place

In-depth/ enterprise reporting, Jordan Scenna for a story explaining the research credited to a WCC student in a scientific journal.
Sports column, RJ Hunt, for a piece on the WNBA.
Column, humor, Jordan Scenna for a April 12, 2022 column about the state of health care
Illustration, Cassie Stewart, for a April 12, 2022 illustration accompanying a column about the state of health care
Original cartoon/entertainment, Ian Loomis for the March 8, 2022 installment of his comic strip “Stankopolis”
Best overall newspaper design, Voice staff
Best news website, Voice staff

Second place

News photo, Ruby Go, for her photo at a Bernie Sanders get-out-the vote rally
Inside page design, Grace Faver for her Jan. 31 presentation of a story about Chinese new year (See page B1)
General excellence

Third place

Front-page design, Voice staff
Headline writing, Voice staff

Honorable mention

News photo, Paula Farmer, for her photo at a community meeting about police surveillance cameras
Feature photo, Paula Farmer, for her photo of a WCC student who co-authored research on the sun
Feature photo, Ruby Go, for her photo of WCC’s dental clinic

Saturday, April 1 was the first time the event had been held in-person since the COVID-19 pandemic emptied campuses in 2020.

Students from participating community colleges heard from industry professionals including Julie Stafford, publisher of the Greenville (MI) Daily News, Detroit Free Press sports editor Kirkland Crawford, MLive editor Leanne Smith, and National Press Photographers Association’s small-market photographer of the year Jake May.