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Journalism classmates vie for State award
University of the Sunshine Coast Journalism students Jodie Stephens, of Buderim, and Lynette Brown, of Pelican Waters, are finalists in the prestigious 2011 Queensland Clarion (Media) Awards.
They are excited and honoured to be the only two finalists in the statewide category of “All Media – Most Outstanding Journalism Student – Regional Campus” sponsored by the Queensland Parliamentary Media Gallery.
Both have been nominated for their “body of work”, including quality articles that they had published by newspapers during their USC degrees.
Ms Stephens, 23, and Ms Brown, 45, will officially graduate from the University on 30 September.
The Clarion awards reported a record 460 entries overall this year, with the state’s environmental disasters featuring heavily in the topics covered.
Ms Stephens was a USC intern at the Beaudesert Times and has done extensive work experience with the Sunshine Coast Daily and the Brisbane Times.
She said her nominated articles examined the impacts of the Japanese tsunami on Brisbane manufacturers and the effects of the Queensland floods on charities.
“I loved my university degree,” said Ms Stephens, who is looking forward to a career in print or online journalism.
“My lecturers and tutors gave me all the knowledge and skills I needed to do well in a professional newsroom. I’d heard good things about USC’s Journalism department and I got a lot of one-on-one attention.”
Ms Brown was an intern at the Sunshine Coast Daily’s Features department and a member of USC’s team that produces the Daily’s Junior Sport weekly lift-out.
The former travel agent and mother of two teenage children also juggled her University studies with helping run the family’s concrete pumping business.
“Uni was a lot of extra work but I wanted to combine my love of the travel industry with my love of writing,” Ms Brown said.
Her nominated articles focused on travel, sport and books.
“My results were fantastic at USC and the Journalism program is held in high regard in the industry,” she said.
“The internship allows you to put the theory into practice and I loved the whole process. I’m now exploring my options for freelance travel writing work.”
USC Journalism Program Leader Dr Folker Hanusch congratulated the students on their achievements in such a competitive field.
“This result demonstrates the quality of USC’s Journalism program, designed from the ground up by Associate Professor Stephen Lamble, in producing highly-skilled graduates ready to work as journalists,” he said.
Dr Hanusch said 2011 was the fourth time in six years that the most outstanding regional journalism student award would go to a student from USC.
“The internship offered in a USC Bachelor of Journalism gives students experience in the workplace and allows them to demonstrate their skills and knowledge to employers,” he said.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 10 September in Brisbane.
– Julie Gatehouse