Numerous Communication Arts students and faculty were recognized for their excellence in and out of the classroom at this year’s Awards Day ceremony on Friday, May 1st.

The following seniors were awarded the Academic Excellence medal in their respective majors: Keiler Henry, Digital Media Studies; Danny Song, Journalism; Claire Yates, Public Relations & Spanish; and Matt Stimmel, Theatre/Speech & Computer Science.

Steve Beverly, associate professor of Communication Arts, was awarded an honorable mention for the Howard Newell Innovative Teaching Award for integrating his broadcasting classes into the daily, live news program, Jackson 24/7. David Burke, professor of Theatre, was also awarded an honorable mention for the Innovative Teaching Award for his collaboration with the department of Social Work.

At the annual Communication Arts banquet, held in the Grant Events Center on May 5th, the following students were recognized for their outstanding achievement in their major:

Outstanding Advertising Student: Lindsay Dawkins
Outstanding Broadcasting Student: Matthew Kuchem
Outstanding DMS Student: Casey Yates
Outstanding Journalism Student: Sarah McBroom
Outstanding Media Comm. Student: Caleb Stallings
Outstanding Photojournalism Student: Kristy McMurry
Outstanding Public Relations Student: Claire Yates
Outstanding Theatre Student: Matt Stimmel

Junior Matthew Kuchem, broadcasting major, was awarded the Kina S. Mallard Outstanding Communication Arts Student award.