Prairie View A&M University’s student newspaper, The Panther, won four awards at the 11th Annual HBCU Student News Media Conference in Durham, N.C. Feb. 13-15.
Each year a competition between the collegiate newspapers is held and entries from the various schools are judged in areas that include online media, photography, news, editorials and layout.
This year, The Panther was awarded second place for best editorial, honorable mention and third place for best use of photography, and third place for best sports coverage.
North Carolina Central University and the Black College Communication Association hosted the conference.
The annual event allows HBCU student journalists and professionals in the media to network, socialize, and attend workshops that will be beneficial to them and their newspapers.
Seminars given ranged from topics that related to the current condition of the economy and available job opportunities to how to keep up with the constantly changing media landscape.
A job fair was also provided for students interested in post-college careers and internships.
Job opportunities were presented by companies that included The New York Times, USA Today, The Charlotte Observer, and the Raleigh News-Observer.
Representatives from the Black College Wire, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the American Society of Newspaper Editors also attended, offering their expertise to the young journalists.
The student journalists were encouraged to learn to become advocates for average citizens.
The Panther was represented by Richard White, a senior communications major and editor in chief, Whitney Harris, a junior English and communications major and news editor, Jacqueline S. Sadberry, a junior English major and copy desk chief, Lionel Mosby Jr., a senior agriculture economics major and sports editor, Shayna Walker, a junior human science major and L/H and A/E editor, and Ronald Smith, a junior communications major and photo editor.
The Panther adviser Lewis Smith was elected to the executive board of the Black College Communications Association.