The 2019 Michigan Press Association Annual Convention kicked off their two-day convention Thursday at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel with journalism workshops and the annual awards dinner where The Collegiate finished in third place in the 2018 College Better Newspaper Contest.
The annual convention hosts Michigan journalists and offers informational workshops for professionals and students as well as awards in different categories of work. The Collegiate was among the winners this year winning 14 awards.
Individual awards for Collegiate reporters were:
Best Photographer – Second Place, Harrison DiCocco
Best Photographer – Third Place, Karl Blessing
Best Photographer – Honorable Mention, Najd Ayari
Best Writer – Honorable Mention, Mike Staley, Gene Paxton to be inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame
Column-Review or Blog-News or Sports – First Place, Dylan Vanderson, My Battle With Bulimia
Column-Review or Blog-News or Sports – Second Place, Mike Staley, Being a parent in the current times
Column-Review or Blog-News or Sports – Honorable Mention, Tatiana Diaz, (In)fertile Myrtle
Feature Photo – First Place – Harrison DiCocco, BORNS played sold-out show at 20 Monroe Live Sunday night
Feature Photo – Honorable Mention, Karl Blessing, Water lanterns lit up the night at Millennium Park
Feature Story – Second Place, Mike Staley, My Journey Through Heroin Addiction
Feature Story – Third Place, Matt Meyle, What’s so funny ‘bout peace, love and understanding?
Investigative Reporting – Second Place, Tatiana Diaz, GRCC student group’s informational table containing free feminine hygiene products for students labeled fire hazard
News-Only Photo – Third Place, Najd Ayari, About 4,000 West Michigan residents gathered in Rosa Parks Circle for March for Our Lives
