UA Media Planning Board Names Award Winners

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama Media Planning Board presented its 2004 awards at a reception held recently on campus.

The annual reception recognizes contributions to all the enterprises of the UA Office of Student Media, which include The Crimson White newspaper, the Corolla yearbook, radio station WVUA (90.5 FM), the Marr’s Field Journal undergraduate literary magazine, the Black Warrior Review graduate literary magazine, the Southern Historian history journal, and the state’s scholastic journalism outreach program, the Alabama Scholastic Press Association (ASPA).

Greg Goldstein, manager of area computing services for the UA College of Communication and Information Sciences, received the Sarah L. Healy Award. The Healy Award, named for UA’s longtime dean of women, is UA’s top honor given for service to student media. Healy was an avid supporter of student publications and a member of the Media Planning Board.

Four UA student employees were honored with James E. Jacobson Awards. WVUA-FM program director Mike Fillingim of Fairhope received the Jacobson Award for management. The other three Jacobson Awards went to Crimson White staffers. Andy Gibson of Adamsville, of the classified department, received the Jacobson Award for service. Reporter Charlie Gasner of Huntsville received the Jacobson Award for writing. Photographer Luisa Morenilla of Huntsville received the Jacobson Award for photography.

The Jacobson Awards are named for the retired Birmingham News editor who was also editor of The Crimson White in 1957. Jacobson personally presented the awards to the students.

Amelia Parker of Fort Payne, a graduate student in the College of Education and ASPA assistant director, received the Walter C. Densmore Jr. Award for service in business and marketing.

Robert W. McCammon of Birmingham and Deidre Stalnaker of Huntsville received the James W. Oakley Chairman’s Award for commitment to student media. McCammon, a novelist and former Crimson White editor, is a member of the Media Planning Board. Stalnaker, a graduate student in the College of Communication, is alumni coordinator for the Office of Student Media. The award is named for former Centreville Press publisher Jim Oakley, placement director for UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences and longtime chair of the Media Planning Board.

Individual publications also presented awards to staff members. On the Crimson White staff, Nick Beadle of Green Hill received the Lewis Each Editor’s Award as the year’s top editorial staff member. The award honors Winston Lewis Each Jr., a former Crimson White sports writer who died of cystic fibrosis in 1998. Andy Gibson of Adamsville received the James L. Tucker Jr. Memorial Character Award. The award honors James L. Tucker Jr., a Crimson White advertising sales representative who was killed in an automobile accident in 1996.

Also honored by The Crimson White were:

• Marlin Caddell of Birmingham (zip code 35215), most improved reporter
• Andy Gibson of Adamsville, service and dedication to classified advertising
• Melissa Glaeser of New Orleans, outstanding sales performance
• Heather Henderson of Daphne, most valuable editor
• Kyle McDougal of Bessemer, most valuable team member in creative services
• Alex Merritt of Little Rock, Ark., the David C. Johnson Award for most valuable sports staff member
• Megan Nichols of Sprott, most valuable reporter
• Chris Otts of New Orleans, best all-around journalist
• Tiffany Schwarz of Huntsville, most valuable designer, and
• Craig W. Wysock of Huntsville, the Greg Hammett Award most improved sports staff member.

The Corolla Editor’s Award went to Janette Dura of Rogersville, graphics designer. Also recognized for outstanding service and dedication was Leasa Hall of Huntsville, business manager.

Honored by WVUA (90.5 FM) were:

• Corey Dumas, DJ of the year
• Jesse O’Reilly of Kent, director of the year
• Jarrod Shadrick of Trussville, sportscaster of the year, and
• The “Morning Swim” team, outstanding service and dedication.

Also honored by their publications were:

• Jonathon Hooks of Tuscaloosa, outstanding service and dedication to the Southern Historian
• Derek Tokaz of Huntsville, outstanding service and dedication to the Marr’s Field Journal, and
• The entire 30th anniversary staff, outstanding service and dedication to the Black Warrior Review.