by Savanah Baker
Three grand prize trophies were awarded to University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications broadcasting students at the 2016-17 National Undergraduate Student Electronic Media Competition in New York City, March 25. Winners were recognized at the awards ceremony of the National Broadcasting Society-AERho 75th national convention.
Grand Prize for Audio Sport Segment went to senior Kellan Heavican for “Tommy Armstrong’s Toughness Leads the Way for Nebraska.” Bassey Arikpo, a sophomore, won the Grand Prize for Animation with “The Problem with YouTube Copyright.” Sophomore Zachary Penrice won the Grand Prize for Audio Feature Segment with “Kneeling During the National Anthem.”
Arikpo has only been a CoJMC major for a year after switching from biology.
“I have always loved being a content creator,” he said. “I always loved taking my ideas and working with others to make them come alive…. So far, this college has given me multiple opportunities to showcase my writing and video production skills in competitions and eventual partnerships.”
Arikpo was also an honorable mention in the Video Comedy Segment competition, as well.
Penrice, a journalism and broadcasting student, worked with professor Barney McCoy on his audio feature.
“(McCoy) critiqued and provided suggestions for my piece continuously until it was the finished product that won this award,” Penrice said. “It's an award for the J-school as much as it is for me.”
He added, “To put in the work every day to make something I'm proud of and to have that work translate into something like this is very exciting.”
University of Nebraska–Lincoln students were also finalists in the Audio Sports Segment and Audio Magazine Program categories.
Attending the conference from University of Nebraska–Lincoln were Bassey Arikpo, Jeremy Davis, Kellan Heavican, Zachary Penrice, Benjamin Schoenkin and NBS Chapter Adviser Laurie Thomas Lee.
