Axe ’Em, Jacks!
NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University student journalists received 23 awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association for their performance at a statewide journalism competition and for their contributions to the student newspaper and yearbook during 2023.
The Pine Log student newspaper earned nine awards for previously published work, and the Stone Fort yearbook also won nine awards, including an Overall Excellence trophy, for the centennial volume titled “A Century of Tradition.”
Eight SFA students attended the annual TIPA conference April 11-13 in San Marcos and participated in on-site competitions with hundreds of other college journalists representing TIPA-affiliated institutions across the state. Stone Fort yearbook Editor-in-Chief Laney Wise won first place in both Magazine Design and Print Advertising Design; yearbook Academics Section Editor Cole Anderson won second place in Yearbook Design; and The Pine Log News Editor and Stone Fort yearbook Photographer Diego Barahona won third place in Feature Photo and honorable mention in Editorial Writing.
“We are extremely proud of these accolades because they are a tangible outcome of the learning and growth our students experience throughout the year by being engaged in the unique and challenging enterprise that is college media,” said Amy Roquemore, SFA director of student publications and divisional media.
“But even more important than the competitions are the opportunities the conference offers them to network with other student journalists, visit with potential employers and learn from industry professionals in preparation for entering the job market,” she said.
Graduating senior Brooke Miller of Belton, editor-in-chief of The Pine Log, said attending the TIPA conference the last two years was a highlight of her college experience.
“It was a great opportunity to spend time with some of the best friends I have made at SFA and to continue expanding my professional network,” she said. “I was able to land a great internship last summer as a direct result of attending the TIPA job fair my junior year. The awards our publication brought home also were phenomenal and make me even more proud to be part of The Pine Log.”
Wise, a junior from Keller, said the TIPA conference is an event she and her fellow staff members look forward to all year.
“Attending the conference was such a rewarding experience, and it was an honor to represent the Department of Student Publications and to work alongside other talented student journalists,” she said. “I’m incredibly impressed by the work done by the newspaper and yearbook staffs, and I’m so proud to have been a part of this conference.”
The following is a complete listing of TIPA awards SFA students earned for work produced during the 2023 calendar year:
Overall Excellence, Stone Fort Yearbook Staff
First place, Spanish Opinion Writing – Corrie Martz and Daniella Carrillo
Second place, Breaking News – Brooke Miller and Diego Barahona
Second place, Editorial – Ryleigh McCoy
Second place, Static Information Graphic – Stone Fort Yearbook Staff
Second place, Critical Review – Jason Kieffer
Second place, General News Photo – Cody Gill
Second place, Breaking News Photo – Cody Gill
Second place, Yearbook Cover Design – Emma Crisp
Second place, Ad Campaign – Laney Wise
Third place, Sports News Story – Diego Barahona
Third place, Yearbook News Spread Design – Sandy Garcia
Third place, Feature Story – Sandra Carranza
Third place, Yearbook Feature Spread Design – Emma Crisp and Laney Wise
Third place, News Design – Sandy Garcia
Honorable mention, General News – Kaylee Lopez
Honorable mention, Environmental Portrait – Matt Faulkner
Honorable mention, Yearbook Feature Spread Design – Emma Crisp and Christian Song
Established in 1909 at Baylor University, TIPA is the largest and oldest collegiate press association in the United States. The organization works to recognize excellence in campus media and open channels of communication and cooperation among student media programs at two- and four-year institutions in Texas.
The Pine Log student newspaper
As the independent student newspaper of Stephen F. Austin State University, The Pine Log aims to fairly and accurately inform readers about what is happening on campus and in the surrounding community. The staff strives to offer a variety of perspectives, encouraging audience members to challenge themselves and their traditional ways of thinking. Staff members gain valuable experience in the field of mass media along with a foundation of career-ready skills needed for success after graduation.
Stone Fort yearbook
Preserving one of the oldest traditions of Stephen F. Austin State University, the Stone Fort staff strives to create a yearbook that accurately captures the essence of SFA and what it means to be a Lumberjack. Through compelling storytelling, captivating images and imaginative design, the staff works to foster a sense of community while developing talented students who share passions for journalism and art. Each volume is intended to portray the SFA student experience with accuracy and integrity, serving as one of the university’s primary sources of recorded history.
ABOUT STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Stephen F. Austin State University, the newest member of The University of Texas System, began a century ago as a teachers’ college in Texas’ oldest town, Nacogdoches. Today, it has grown into a regional institution comprising six colleges — business, education, fine arts, forestry and agriculture, liberal and applied arts, and sciences and mathematics. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, SFA enrolls approximately 11,000 students while providing the academic breadth of a state university with the personalized attention of a private school. The main campus encompasses 421 acres that include 37 academic facilities, nine residence halls, and 68 acres of recreational trails that wind through its six gardens. The university offers more than 80 bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 master’s degrees and four doctoral degrees covering more than 120 areas of study. Learn more by visiting the SFA website.