The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Jaguar Student Media to virtually host Source Awards

Jaguar Student Media to virtually host Source Awards - The Mesquite Online News - Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Communication major Stephanie Martinez interviewing Mr. A&M-San Antonio Zachary Franckowiak after the coronation ceremony at Fall Fest on Oct. 19, 2019. Since the start of the pandemic, student journalists have been conducting interviews on virtual platforms. Photo by Veronica Valdes

Update: May 27, 2021

Jaguar Student Media announced 10 winners of the spring 2021 Source Awards at a virtual ceremony May 7. They are:

  • Karen Ivy, director of Career Services – Big Slice Award for a source who lets us have our cake and eat it too. This source provides continuous and reliable information and connects our reporters to news tips and off-campus resources.
  • Carol Kindred, administrative associate – Gatekeeper Award for a source who holds the keys to appointment books and facilitates access to administrators.
  • Durant Frantzen, department chair, Social Sciences, professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice – The Crunch Award for a source who offers reliable statistics or data and patiently awaits whether we reporters can disseminate the information correctly.
  • Mary Kay Cooper, director of Alumni Engagement – The Visionary Award for a source who helps build a vision for Jaguar Student Media. This source is on hand to help entry-level reporters by sharing his/her own extensive media experience and knowledge thereby helping to shape stories and the overall vision of our program.
  • Ruby Daniels, instructional assistant professor in the College of Business – The Ladder Award for a source who treats a junior reporter as a professional by answering correspondence quickly, completing quote checks and filling out accuracy forms, ensuring that he/she receives the necessary experience to advance to senior reporter.
  • Jada and Jasmine Twillie, business sophomores – Where’s Waldo Award for a source who is extremely busy and sometimes hard to find, but is always worth seeking for information and counsel and we will never let them out of our sight.
  • William Bush, department chair, Communication, History and Philosophy, professor of history- Best Use of a Historian for his vast knowledge of previous pandemics and what we might expect during the current one. He was very patient and insightful for the award-winning story from last spring’s El Espejo.
  • Travis Yang, esports coach – The Satellite Award for a source who allows our reporters to orbit around them for news tips and information.

 

Jaguar Student Media outlets will recognize sources in the 10th annual virtual awards ceremony.

The Source Awards will begin at 3 p.m. May 7 on Zoom. The ceremony will be open to everyone and registration is available on JagSync.

Members of Enlace, El Espejo and The Mesquite nominated sources who have supported the university’s media outlets by granting interviews or providing information.

Awards include “The Advocate Award,” which recognizes a source that supports media outlets and encourages faculty and staff members to engage with reporters, and “The Where’s Waldo Award,” which recognizes a source that is hard to get into contact with, but always provides worthy information.

Jenny Moore, director of student media, said the awards ceremony emphasizes the importance of student-led media outlets.

“Having an event like this encourages those who already participated to be recognized,” Moore said. “But it also shows the rest of the campus community that this is an important initiative. Jaguar Student Media is winning awards and doing a lot to promote the campus.”

At the 2020 Texas Intercollegiate Press Awards, Jaguar Student Media outlets won a combined total of 40 awards.

Moore credits San Antonio College’s student newspaper, The Ranger, for the idea of recognizing sources with awards.

“When I first came to the university in 2009, I knew about the Source Awards from San Antonio College,” Moore said. “I thought, ‘That is such a wonderful way to involve the campus community.’”

Due to the pandemic, student reporters have had difficulty reaching some sources for interviews, or they have had to conduct interviews virtually.

“I think the Source Awards are a testament that people are really trying to be supportive of student media in whatever format they can,” Moore said. “We’re lucky in that way that we have a lot of faculty and staff support.”

The ceremony is aimed at thanking sources for their support, but it’s also a way to create relationships with reporters and the sources.

“These are lasting contacts,” Moore said. “These are people that students will be able to have relationships with in the future when they have careers.”

The ceremony is usually held in-person once a semester, but is virtual due to the pandemic. Moore said she hopes the next ceremony in the fall semester will be face to face.

About the Author

Asiah Mendoza
Assistant Editor
Asiah Mendoza is a communications junior with a minor in psychology. Born and raised in San Antonio, she enjoys writing and listening to music in her free time. Her favorite things to do are go to concerts and discover new artists. After graduation, she hopes to combine her two interests and become a music journalist.

Join the Conversation

© 2024 Jaguar Student Media | Texas A&M University-San Antonio. All Rights Reserved. All Rights Reserved.
San Antonio Website Design & Development - Backyard Studios
Join Our Newsletter

Get the Mesquite News delivered straight to you.