Pioneer staff receive awards from professional society
Verdine Osei
News Writing Student
Four current and former Pioneer staff members brought home awards Feb. 20 from the annual banquet in downtown Oklahoma City sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists.
Pioneer advertising manager Cynthia Praefke won first place for Arts Criticism, and lab assistant Chris Lusk won third place for Best Reporting Portfolio, work he did while student editor.
“It’s a big honor,” Lusk said. “I was grateful to attend and receive an award.”
Former photographer Joseph A. Moore II won first place for General Photography for a picture of a woman looking at boots of fallen soldiers from the Iraq War. The photo was taken in the College Union.
Another former photographer, Kenny Hilburn, won second place in Spot News Image for a photo of a woman with a bandaged upper arm at an accident scene that occurred on May Avenue involving her vehicle.
The banquet brought together professionals from print, broadcast and online news, as well as public relations. The Pioneer competed against other newspapers in Division C — newspapers with circulations up to 7,000.
“It was an awesome experience,” Praefke said. “I was surrounded by awesome people. I even talked to Lance West from the Rise and Shine morning radio show for a little bit.”
Moore said he had a chance to meet people from state magazines, which is important because it allows getting your name out to editors.
“I was in a great atmosphere and I was given the opportunity to meet people from Oklahoman Today magazine,” Moore said.
Praefke also noted the impact OCCC has made in journalism.
“OCCC has fantastic alumni who won awards and this reflects on leadership in the journalism area,” she said.
Other individuals recognized at the banquet included Gary England, meteorologist for KWTV News 9, who won a lifetime achievement award, and Phillip Patterson, mass communication professor at Oklahoma Christian University, who was named teacher of the year.
Society of Professional Journalists is a national organization that includes print, broadcast and online media members.
