screenshot from Kendra's TikTokNov. 14, 2022–Two journalism students from Missouri Western State University recently received national awards for videos they created.

News Engagement Day TikToks

As part of Dr. James Carviou’s Journalism 202: Reporting for the Media course, students submit TikToks every year for a national competition on News Engagement Day that is sponsored by Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication.

This year Kendra Simpson, convergent journalism and public relations major from St. Joseph, was one of five national News Engagement Day TikTok video contest winners with her video titled “Some Unbiased and Trustworthy News Sources.”

News Engagement Day encourages everyone to read, watch, like, tweet, post, listen to, or comment on news and learn news reporting principles. In her video, Simpson suggests a variety of trusted news sources for 18 year-olds preparing to vote in their first election.

CMA Film and Audio Festival

KGSM-TV Reporter Trinity Knapp, convergent journalism and public relations major from Shawnee, Kansas, took second place in the nation for video sports package as part of the College Media Association Film and Audio Festival that took place last month in Washington DC. 

The CMA Festival competition includes universities of all sizes from across the country. Knapp finished behind a student journalist from Baylor University.

Knapp’s honored video was a recap of a Griffon softball game against Rogers State last spring.

Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu