Columbia Daily Tribune wins state journalism awards in 2022 MPA Better Newspaper Contest
The Columbia Daily Tribune took home a number of high honors in the Missouri Press Association's 2022 Better Newspaper Contest.
The awards, announced Saturday at the annual MPA conference, recognize the best work published in Missouri in 2021. The Tribune was judged against daily papers across the state with similar size and circulation.
Four individuals secured first-place honors for their work in the Tribune:
Arts and culture editor Aarik Danielsen's feature on late Columbia College professor Ben Cameron won best news or feature obituary;
Sports editor Chris Kwiecinski's coverage of the Missouri women's basketball team's upset win over No. 1 South Carolina won best sports news story or package;
Former Mizzou athletics beat reporter Eric Blum's story about a day in the life of Missouri athletic director Desiree Reed-Francois won best sports feature story;
Photographer Madeline Carter's photo entitled "Braggin' Fights" from the Missouri men's basketball team's game against Illinois won best sports photograph.
The Tribune staff earned second place for best news or feature special section; third place for best editorial pages; honorable mention for best overall design; and honorable mention for best online newspaper or website.
"This recognition shows the talent on our staff as well as its continued hard work and diligence covering our community," managing editor Kevin Graeler said. "Every member of our newsroom contributed toward earning these awards. I am proud of our team for producing quality journalism worthy of these statewide honors."
News reporter Charles Dunlap earned third place in best news story; planning editor Gabby Velasquez placed third in best photo illustration; and Kwiecinski finished third in best sports columnist.
Honorable mentions included news reporter Roger McKinney in best story about education; former staff photographer Don Shrubshell in best news photograph; designer Natalie Anderson in best page design; and photographer J Thomas Taylor in best sports photograph.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia Tribune wins state journalism awards in 2022 MPA contest
