Nicholls State University’s Department of Mass Communication placed 12th in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program’s Team Digital News/Enterprise Competition, according to a May 11 announcement from the organization. The award was in recognition of Spring 2021’s issue of “Garde Voir Ci,” a digital magazine produced by students in A. Laure Chamberlain Kasovich’s capstone course. That issue was an in-depth report on the United Houma Nation.
This is second year the department has placed in the top 20 in this category of a competition that has been described as the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism. In 2020, the first year it was able to enter in the division, the school placed 20th. Western Kentucky won this year’s title.
“We are thrilled with the result in a contest with entries from the best journalism schools in the nation,” James Stewart, mass communication department head, said. “The recognition is a great reward for a lot of hard work.”
Stewart said that placing in this particular division has special meaning.
“First, Garde Voir Ci is a senior-level and team-based platform. So, it is a reflection of the talents of our students and the skills they have developed during their time in the program,” he said.
“We also take a lot of pride in the fact that the publication focuses on under-reported voices in our community,” he added.
Spring 2020’s issue had reported on the abandoned Louisiana community of Grand Bayou in Assumption Parish.
Student Team
Addie Wetzel of Laplace served as team leader.
Kristen Angelette, Kacie Fields, Jade Hawkins, Jillian Landry, Dylan McElroy, Elise Theriot, Jade Williams, Madeleine Bauland, Amanda Eschete, Brody Gannon, Brendan Landry, Hannah Orgeron, Maegen Rivet, and Robbie Trosclair.
