Members of the Collegian student media staff at Southwestern College won six individual awards in the 2021 Kansas Collegiate Media contest. In the profile writing category, students took three of the four awards, with a first and third place and an honorable mention in the four-year newspapers division. 

Tessa Castor Rylant, class of 2020, won the category with a profile story published last spring. Mallory Graves, Ardmore, Okla., junior, took third place with a story about Ross Peterson-Veatch, academic dean, and Taylor Rodriguez, Macksville senior, earned an honorable mention with a profile about a biology professor who hosted games on Zoom with students.

Rodriguez also placed first in the multimedia feature category.

Lauren Sieh, Coweta, Okla., senior, earned an honorable mention with an online photo gallery and Drake Vittitow, Blanchard, Okla., senior, earned an honorable mention in the multimedia feature story category.

This year’s KCM spring conference was virtual and students gathered in Deets Library on April 9th to participate. In addition to Graves, Rodriguez, Sieh and Vittitow, those attending were Emily Braudaway, Andover freshman; RJay McCoy, Wichita senior; and Daegiona Wilson, Wichita sophomore.

Stacy Sparks, faculty adviser to The Collegian, who is retiring at the end of the academic year, was recognized for her contribution to the organization.