USC student wins Queensland Media Award
University of the Sunshine Coast journalism student Tom Haynes has won the 2008 Queensland Media Award for the Most Outstanding Journalism Student from a Regional University.
Tom, 27, received $6,000 in prizemoney for his competition entry of four stories he worked on while on internships with Seven Local News and the Sunshine Coast Daily as part of his Bachelor of Communication degree.
Tom said he was surprised to have won the award ahead of the two other talented finalists – Kerry Brown and Kylie Stephenson, both of USC – and now felt inspired to set his career goals higher.
“This is huge for my career … for opening doors to job opportunities,” he said.
“It’s certainly ignited a passionate flame to do hard news. I was planning to work for a surfing magazine, but now I’d really like to work as a foreign correspondent for the ABC.”
Tom’s award entry included two stories about surfing. It also featured a story about a harrowing traffic accident on the Bruce Highway, and a report about the shortage of hospital beds on the Sunshine Coast that Tom wrote after interviewing Queensland’s Health Minister Stephen Robertson.
Tom said he believed the guidance and support of USC’s journalism academics and his background in sales were key factors in winning the award.
“Sales is about tenacity and about not taking ‘no’ for an answer, and doing that in a way that is diplomatic,” he said. “I think it was my tenacity in dealing with the Minister’s office that impressed the judges.”
USC’s Head of School of Communication Associate Professor Stephen Lamble congratulated Tom, Kerry and Kylie for their achievements in making the Queensland Media Awards final.
Dr Lamble said University of the Sunshine Coast students had entered the awards only for the past three years and had been successful in winning it twice.
“It was quite remarkable this year for USC to have all three finalists in this Media Awards category, and they were all outstanding students,” he said.
— Terry Walsh