WT Department of Communication Students Recognized at Annual Awards Ceremony

Copy by 1910 PR, 1910pr@wtamu.edu

Contact: Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s top student communicators were honored at an end-of-year award ceremony.

The April 27 ceremony recognized outstanding student achievements within WT’s Department of Communication. For the first time, the Media Communication and Communication Studies programs hosted a joint ceremony to recognize all majors and organizations within the department.

“I think combining the awards ceremony was an important step in seeing our department as a whole unit rather than as separate programs,” said Dr. Kristina Drumheller, professor of communication studies and head of the Department of Communication. “End-of-the-year awards are important for recognizing the contributions of our students across the department and having a fun send-off for our graduating students.”

Organizations represented in the awards ceremony were KWTS 91.1, the student-run radio station; The Prairie News, the student-run newspaper; Eternal Flame, the student-run magazine; Buffalo Advertising, the student advertising firm; 1910 PR, the student-run public relations firm; and the Bateman Team, the competitive student PR team.

Promoting quality, both in education and student work, is a key cornerstone of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic, $125 million One West comprehensive fundraising campaign. To date, the five-year campaign — which publicly launched Sept. 23 — has raised about $110 million.

The following is a list of student awards given out at the ceremony:

Academic Awards:

• Outstanding Undergraduate Student: Hannah Valencia, a May 7 communication studies graduate from Santa Rosa, California
• Outstanding Graduate Student: Gissel Olivas, a May 7 master’s communication student graduate from Amarillo
• Graduate Service Award: Aaron Hamilton, a communication graduate student from Model, Colorado
• Rising Star: Kiley Duggan, a junior public relations/advertising/applied communication major from Canyon
• Top Portfolio: Valencia and Mallory Grimm, a May 7 public relations/advertising/applied communication graduate from Amarillo

Organizational Awards:

Digital Media and Communication

• KWTS Best On-Air Personality: Will Conway, a sophomore digital communication and media major from Panhandle
• KWTS Best Special Show: Drew Helterbran, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo
• KWTS Best Podcast: Justin Mahan, a May 7 communication studies graduate from Canyon
• Dig In Award: Sophia Britto, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo
• Leigh Browning Digital Media Student of the Year: Isaiah Tanner, a senior digital communication and media major from Perryton
• J. Swope Legacy Award: Skylerr Patterson, a May 7 broadcast journalism graduate from Electra

The Prairie News

• Leadership Award: Valencia
• Journalism Award: Victoria Fatiregun, a junior English major from Houston
• Golden Press Pass: Filiberto Avila, a junior broadcast journalism major from Spearman

Eternal Flame

• Best Survey Data Visualization: Kara Villarreal, a senior digital communication and media major from El Paso
• Best Campaign for Staff: Johnny Lawhon, a senior digital communication and media major from Amarillo

Buffalo Advertising

• Most Scrappy Team Member: Salvador Gutierrez, a senior public relations/advertising/applied communication major from Amarillo
• Most Dedicated Team Member: Grimm
• Most Humble Team Member: Taylor Pennington, a junior public relations/advertising/applied communication major from Canyon, and Alex Price, a junior communication studies major from Amarillo
• Most Eclectic Team Member: Tearanee’ Lockhart, a junior broadcast journalism major from Amarillo
• Most Spirited Member: Jonathan Calderon, a senior public relations/advertising/applied communication major from Shallowater, and Alex Price, a junior communication studies major from Amarillo
• Most Outstanding New Team Member: Taylor Pennington, a junior public relations/advertising/applied communication major from Canyon
• Most Overall Outstanding Team Member: Grimm
• Team Member Most Likely to Work for “Meta Quest 2”: Calderon
• The New College Try Award: Gutierrez

1910 PR

• Creativity Award: Claudia Zuniga Hicks, a senior communication studies major from Amarillo
• Commitment Award: Valencia
• Legacy Award: Adam Jiwa, a graduate communication student from Canyon
• WT Public Relations Student Society of America Chapter Award: Kiley Duggan, a junior public relations/advertising/applied communication from Canyon

Bateman Team

• Outstanding Reel Creator: Alix Maza, a senior communication studies major from Amarillo
• Outstanding Designer: Duggan
• Outstanding Writer: Valencia
• Outstanding Editor: Lindsey Sawin, a junior ag media and communication major from Vernon
• Outstanding Connector: Karree Belmares, a junior digital communication and media major from Turkey

Photo: West Texas A&M University Department of Communication students recently received year-end awards. Pictured are, front from left, Mallory Grimm and Salvador Gutierrez, and, back from left, Ashlyn Dietz, Alex Price, Dr. Mary Liz Brooks, Tearanee' Lockhart, Taylor Pennington and Johnny Lawhon.

About the WT Department of Communication

The WT Department of Communication houses two undergraduate programs: Communication Studies and Media Communication, with three areas of emphasis in each program as well as the option to seek teacher certification in speech or journalism. The master’s program offers two areas of emphasis: one in Communication and one in Media Management. Both can be completed online. For more information on the department, visit wtamu.edu/academics/college-fine-arts-humanities/department-communication/index.html. 

About West Texas A&M University

WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

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