Schools

Update: Kent State Journalism Student Wins Hearst Award

Jeannette Reyes takes first-place in Pulitzer equivalent for college students

Kent State University broadcast journalism student Jeannette Reyes is in good company.

Reyes was named the top finalist for student television broadcast journalism in the William Randolph Hearst Foundation Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

Reyes received a $2,600 award for her video package submission to the contest, one piece of which is attached to this article. The award also guarantees she'll move on to a semi-final round of the program.

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The senior at Kent State said she was shocked when she learned her work had earned the top spot in the Hearst awards for broadcast students — a near equivalent of journalism's coveted Pulitzer for college students.

"I have applied for other scholarships before and have done well," Reyes said. "So I assumed this was just another one. I had no idea what it meant and how significant it is. Fortunately, I didn't know. The wait would've made me a nervous wreck! My professors had to explain to me what exactly I won."

Find out what's happening in Kentwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Founded in 1960, the Hearst awards were meant to provide scholarships to undergraduate journalism students with matching grants to their schools. William Randolph Hearst established his legacy foundation in 1948 for the sole purpose of supporting educational and charitable endeavors.

Reyes is hopeful the award will help her land one of her two dream jobs either as an anchor for CNN or working at a news station in Atlanta.


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