Eagle staff, adviser receive record number of awards
The Northeast Texas Community College Eagle newspaper staff recently learned it won a record-setting 53 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA). In addition to Eagle Adviser, Mandy Smith, being named the 2019 Charles “Chuck” Choate Memorial Adviser of the Year, the newspaper staff also brought home the coveted first place General Excellence award for Division 5. This is the most awards The Eagle has received in one year to date.
“The TIPA awards this year are so special because we had 14 staff members recognized for their work in writing, design, photography, video production and cartoon/visual illustration,” Smith said. “Our Eagle editors, Elisabeth Lively, Joelle Weatherford, Emma Yeager and Tahj McRae have done an amazing job this year. Not only did they win several personal awards, they helped lead The Eagle staff in their first place win for Overall Excellence newspaper in our division. That’s the biggie!”
Typically, the awards are handed out during a special ceremony at the annual TIPA conference in mid-March. However, due to COVID-19 concerns, this year’s event in Corpus Christi was cancelled and awards were mailed. NTCC competed against other community colleges and universities around the state.
“This was definitely a good year for The Eagle. I’m just sad our journalism staff wasn’t able to be there to receive their awards in person,” Daniel Sanchez, Assistant Adviser of The Eagle, said. “These students put in countless hours into each newspaper – writing, editing, photography and the design. After a long year of hard work it was rewarding to get to share in their excitement. It’s also exciting that these same students are building a legacy for students to come.”
The Eagle won multiple awards in writing, production, design, visual reporting, social media and electronic reporting.
“We are really excited about the social media and video awards that we won this year,” Smith said. “Those awards are due to the continued efforts of our assistant adviser, Daniel Sanchez. Daniel is always willing to spend time helping our staff discover new ways to reach our Eagle audience.”
In addition to numerous student awards, Smith’s award is designated for those who “go the extra mile in teaching and advising.” She was nominated by members of The Eagle newspaper staff earlier in the year. The lengthy process included an application and collecting numerous recommendation letters.
“Mandy winning the Charles T. Choate TIPA Adviser of the Year Award showcases her passion for journalism and students. This award recognizes her hard work for the Eagle year after year,” Daniel Sanchez, Assistant Adviser and former Editor In Chief of The Eagle, said. “I have known Mandy for five years and if there is something I’ve learned about her in this short time is that she does not stop…she doesn’t stop teaching and she never quits when it comes to her students. You’ll find her working with students in and out of the classroom and often times teaching them valuable real world skills in journalism. Mandy is part of the faculty who make NTCC a great college, she goes the extra mile in teaching and advising.”
Before taking over The Eagle as lead adviser, Smith worked on the newspaper as an NTCC student. She has taught full-time with NTCC since 2006. The Eagle has received hundreds of TIPA awards and accolades under her leadership. NTCC journalism students continue to produce a quality campus newspaper in addition to an annual literary magazine, Lagniappe.
“Mandy deserves every inch of recognition for this award. ‘Quit’ is not a word in her dictionary, and apparently neither is ‘sleep’, because she’s willing and ready to sacrifice it at any given moment for The Eagle,” current Editor In Chief, Elisabeth Lively, said. “It’s an honor to be taught true, honest journalism by the one and only Mandy Smith, the real Lois Lane. Everyone has that one mentor in the life that they will always lookup to and never forgot. I already know that Mandy will be that person to me.”
“The recipient (Smith) has been involved with TIPA as a student journalist on the campus newspaper, then as the first student to serve an internship in the TIPA Central Office, and now as an adviser,” Fred Stewart, TIPA Executive Director, said in an e-mail to announce the honor.
Smith admitted she was humbled and surprised to learn she was the Adviser of the Year recipient.
“I know that other advisers from across the state also spend countless hours working with their students. The fact that I was nominated by my student newspaper staff makes this recognition especially rewarding. This award is shared with all of my students both past and present who have given me the opportunity to work with them over the last few years to produce a solid, reliable newspaper for our NTCC campus community,” she said.
NTCC is currently enrolling students for summer and fall 2020. Students interested in enrolling in journalism classes and being part of The Eagle staff should contact Smith at msmith@ntcc.edu. Please follow The Eagle at facebook.com/ntcceagle and Instagram @NTCCeaglenewspaper.
NTCC TIPA Awards List:
Special Award (1)
2019 Charles “Chuck” Choate Memorial Adviser of the Year, Mandy Smith
First Place (13)
Overall Excellence (Newspaper) – The Eagle Staff
Narrative Reporting (Breaking News) – Elisabeth Lively
Narrative Reporting (Critical Review) – Emma Yeager
Narrative Reporting (General Column) – Emma Yeager
Narrative Reporting (General News) – Elisabeth Lively
Narrative Reporting (In-Depth Reporting) – Tonya Hammonds
Visual Reporting (Cartoon Strip/Panel) – Kachina Swafford
Visual Reporting (Editorial Cartoon) – Kachina Swafford
Best Use of Social Media (Breaking News) – Elisabeth Lively, Serenity Mitchell
Production (Feature Page/Spread Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Op/Ed Page/Spread Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively, Joelle Weatherford
Production (Special Edition Design, Print) – The Eagle Staff, Elisabeth Lively
Production (Static Ad Design) – Tahj McRae
Second Place (17)
Overall Design (Literary Magazine) – Lagniappe Staff, Elisabeth Lively, Joelle Weatherford
Overall Excellence (Literary Magazine) – Lagniappe Staff, Elisabeth Lively, Joelle Weatherfor
Narrative Reporting (Editorial) – Eagle Staff, Elisabeth Lively
Narrative Reporting (Feature Story) – Emma Yeager
Narrative Reporting (In-Depth Reporting) – Adriana Elizondo
Narrative Reporting (Sports Game Story) – Adriana Elizondo, Brent Garrett
Electronic Reporting (General News Video Story) – Elisabeth Lively, Joelle Weatherford
Electronic Reporting (In-Depth News Reporting, Video) – Scott Snyder, Erica Hernandez, Joelle Weatherford
Visual Reporting (Editorial Cartoon) – Kachina Swafford
Visual Reporting (Environmental Portrait), Emma Yeager
Visual Reporting (General News Photo) – Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Illustration) – Elisabeth Samel, Elisabeth Lively
Visual Reporting (Photo Story) – Elisabeth Lively, Erica Aguinaga, Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Sports Feature Photo) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Cover Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Overall Design, Newspaper) – The Eagle Staff
Production (Static Ad Design) – Tristan Zuniga
Third Place (15)
Narrative Reporting (Feature Story) – Elisabeth Lively
Narrative Reporting (General News) – Joelle Weatherford
Narrative Reporting (Headline Writing) – Emma Yeager
Visual Reporting (Breaking News Photo) – Serenity Mitchell
Visual Reporting (Cartoon Strip/Panel) – Kachina Swafford
Visual Reporting (Environmental Portrait) – Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Feature Photo) – Elisabeth Lively
Visual Reporting (General News Photo) – Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Photo Story) – Serenity Mitchell, Joelle Weatherford, Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Sports Action) – Tahj McRae
Production (Cover Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Feature Page/Spread Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Op/Ed Page/Spread Design, Newspaper) – Joelle Weatherford
Production (Sports Page/Spread Design, Newspaper) – Elisabeth Lively
Production (Static Ad Design) – Tristan Zuniga
Honorable Mention (7)
Narrative Reporting (Feature Story) – Emma Yeager
Electronic Reporting (General News Video Story) – Elisabeth Lively, Tristan Zuniga, Elisabeth Samel
Visual Reporting (Cartoon Strip/Panel) – Kachina Swafford
Visual Reporting (Feature Photo) – Elisabeth Lively
Visual Reporting (Photo Story) – Hailey Goodwin, Joelle Weatherford, Tahj McRae
Visual Reporting (Static Information Graphic) – Elisabeth Lively, Erica Arguinaga
Spanish (Spanish News Story) – Adriana Elizondo
