The Reflector collected 63 awards from two student journalism contests this spring.

In February, Mississippi State University student journalists traveled to the 2024 Southeastern Journalism Conference at Troy University. In total, MSU clinched 38 awards, including nine first-place finishes.

Advisor to The Reflector Josh Foreman spoke on the outcome of the award ceremony.

“We have had really good years before, but this one would definitely stick out as among the best,” Foreman said.

During the Best of the South awards, students are evaluated on their work over the previous year. MSU had more placements than any other university in attendance.

Notable individual achievements included sports editor Aubrey Carter’s recognition as “Best TV Journalist,” staff writer Caleb Bowman’s first place in the “Special Event Reporter” category and former editorial illustrator Bryce Yzaguirre’s naming as “Best Artist/Illustrator.”

The Reflector brought home fourth place in “Best Newspaper.” MSU was awarded second place in “Best Public Service Journalism.”

MSU was the overall winner in on-site competitions. These competitions were held throughout the conference to challenge student’s abilities to think critically and work under constrained time limits.

Life and entertainment editor Megan Gordon brought home first place in the “Arts and Entertainment Writing” on-site competition. Gordon also placed third in “Arts and Entertainment TV Reporting” and “Radio Feature Reporting.”

Ivy Rose Ball, The Reflector’s photography editor, placed first in the “Feature Photography” on-site competition. She was also awarded second place “Best Photographer” in the Best of the South competition.

News editor Samuel Hughes placed first in “Feature Writing” and second in the “Arts and Entertainment Photography” on-site competitions. He was also given second place as the Best of the South “Best Feature Writer” and fourth in “Best Newspaper Designer.”

The Reflector’s Editor-in-Chief Joshua Britt achieved first place in the “Page Design” on-site competition and third place in the “Current Events” quiz. He also brought home second place as Best of the South’s “Best Graphic Designer or Data Journalist.”

The Reflector’s success continued into March at the Mississippi Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, where they bagged 25 awards, including 12 first-place wins.

Britt said that it felt amazing to see his staff’s work pay off.

“I mean, we have students who were always working day in day out, week in week out, putting up the best content in the state in terms of collegiate publications, and I think that to see them recognized as something that they deserve is a much-needed boost to their confidence,” Britt said.

Hughes achieved first place in “Best General News Story” with his reporting on Ole Miss’s League of Legends ban, second place in the “Best Feature Story” category with his feature on an MSU alumnus’s travels along the Camino de Santiago and first place in “Best Front Page.”

Carter won first place in “Best General Sports Column.” Opinion Editor Lucy Hallmark won first place in “Best General Interest Column,” while staff writer Grace Sullivan took home second.

Marketing media manager Annalise Rome humored the crowd as she was named the first, second and third place winner for “Best Advertisement.”

Kennedy Keyes, the online editor, along with Britt took home first place in Best Website. Amelia Middleton won first place in “Best Use of Social Media.”

Yzaguirre won first place in “Best Cartoon” with his illustrations on the front page of the 2023 orientation issue, and first place in “Best Graphic” alongside Hallmark for the cover of a special climate change issue of The Reflector.

Staff photographer Brooks Surber was awarded first place in “Best Sports Photo,” while Ball won second. Ball won third place in “Best General News Photo” and third place in “Best Feature Photo.” Former photography editor Landon Scheel won second in “Best Feature Photo.”

In the fall semester, The Daily Mississippian, The University of Mississippi’s student newspaper, and The Reflector collaborated on an issue that explored climate change in Mississippi. This issue won first in “Best Series.” As a newspaper, The Reflector also took home third place in “Best Design” and third place in “Best Editorials.”

To end the MPA conference, The Reflector was awarded first place in “Overall Excellence” for the fourth year in a row.

Britt, who has been on the editorial staff for all four years The Reflector has been given this award, was pleased with this accomplishment.

“It’s a massive achievement,” Britt said. “And it shows that there’s a tradition of excellence at The Reflector.”