Belmont’s student-run online news network, the Belmont Vision, swept the 2023 Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC), bringing home a record 22 category awards and second place overall in the on-site competition.
The conference, held Feb. 9 and 10 at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, is a learning community of collegiate journalists in a variety of media disciplines. SEJC is comprised of 38 colleges and universities in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Of the 38 member schools, Belmont won 15 awards in the Best of the South competition, which included content posted on the Vision website from November 2021 to November 2022.
Former Vision editor-in-chief Sarah Maninger (who graduated in December) told the Vision, “I’m just really proud of what we were able to do and that our work got recognized.”
Best of the South
Individual Awards
- First place, best TV feature reporter: Finn Birnie
- First place, best television news reporter: Camden Morris
- Second place, opinion writing: Anna Jackson
- Third place, feature writing: Anna Jackson
- Second place, special event reporting: Landen Secrest
- Third place, best news writer: Sarah Maninger
- Fifth place, best feature writer: David Pang
- Fifth place, best arts and entertainment writer: Lillie Burke
- Sixth place, best photographer: Isaac Wetzel
- Seventh, best arts and entertainment writer: Meagan Irby
- Seventh, best sports writer: A.J. Wuest
- Seventh, best TV journalist: Hanley Riggs
Network Awards
- First place, best public service journalism
- Third place, best college website
- Third place, best video newscast
On-site Competition
- First place, sports photography: Landen Secrest
- First place, TV news reporting: Camden Morris and Chandler Maynard
- First, radio news reporting: Gracie Anderson
- Second, arts and entertainment: Lilly Owens
- Third, TV anchoring: Katie Beth Cannon
- Honorable mention, feature writing: A.J. Wuest
- Honorable mention, copy editing: Melody Scott
