SPRINGFIELD – The Lamp, the student newspaper at Lincoln Land Community College, won the top staff award and had its editor named Reporter of the Year.
The Lamp won 13 awards for work in 2014 at the Illinois Community College Journalism Association awards banquet on Friday, April 10, 2015.
“Winning first place in the Mike Foster General Excellence Award was gratifying,” said Tim McKenzie, adviser of The Lamp and assistant professor of journalism and humanities. “It shows the whole staff did great work, covering the campus and consistently putting out a top-notch publication.”
Ryan Wilson of Auburn, the editor, also was named Reporter of the Year.
“This was an award I thought Ryan deserved,” McKenzie said. “Ryan is a great writer and leader as editor. He goes above and beyond at every turn. This year has been a chance to rebuild and grow the newspaper. We would not have made the strides we did without Ryan.”
This inaugural honor was given based upon one reporter’s ability to use a range of styles to cover a variety of topics. All community colleges in Illinois were invited to give three samples of one writer’s work.
The judge noted: “Ryan Wilson’s writing and reporting abilities are at an extraordinary skill level, and he clearly stands out amongst his community college journalism peers. … Wilson knows what it takes to produce worthwhile journalism, and he has a bright future ahead of him.”
Wilson also won first place in the News Story category and both first and second place in the Sports Features category.
“They did a great job this year,” McKenzie said. “The number of award winners speaks well of everyone’s effort and ability.”
Here is a full list of honorees:
- Ryan Mazrim of Chatham, 2nd Place (Division II), News Column
- Rebekah Lange of Springfield, Ryan Wilson of Auburn and Jordan Minder of Rochester, 3rd place, News Story of the Year
- Dominique Lamp of Springfield, 3rd Place (Division II), Features Story
- Ryan Mazrim of Chatham, 3rd Place (Division II), News Photo
- Jordan Minder of Rochester, 3rd Place (Division II), Features photo
- Jordan Minder of Rochester, Honorable Mention (Division II), Features Photo
- Alisha Kirkley of Springfield, Honorable Mention, Graphics
- Brennan Stidham of Springfield, Honorable Mention (Division II), News Story
- First Place (Division II), Mike Foster General Excellence Award
- Ryan Wilson of Auburn, First Place, Reporter of the Year
- Ryan Wilson of Auburn, First Place (Division II), News Story
- Ryan Wilson of Auburn, First Place (Division II), Sports Feature
- Ryan Wilson of Auburn, 2nd Place (Division II), Sports Feature
