Thirteen students represented the University of Tennessee at Martin at the Southeast Journalism Conference, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, at Mississippi State University in Starkville.
UT Martin was one of 27 universities represented at the conference.
Tomi McCutchen, instructor of mass media and strategic communication; Dr. Richard Robinson, professor of mass media and strategic communication; and UT Martin mass media and strategic communication alumna Sarah Cornwell accompanied the students.
The 2025 SEJC onsite competitions were held on Feb. 1, and three UT Martin students placed in their categories:
• Clarissa Spitzley, senior mass media and strategic communication major from Clarksville, first place, design.
• Chyler Lee, junior mass media and strategic communication major from Jackson, third place, sports writing.
• LeeAnne Morefield, senior mass media and strategic communication major from Dresden and WUTM news director, third place, TV anchoring.
Those earning 2024 Best of the South rankings were:
• WUTM, second place in Best College Audio Program (podcast)
• WUTM, third place in Best College Radio Station (Mississippi State took first place and Lipscomb University took second place)
• Trenton Michon, senior political science major from Chapmansboro, third place, Best Artist/Illustrator (for his Pacer Pete comics that appear in the print editions of The Pacer).
• Lauryn Davis, senior mass media and strategic communication major from Memphis, third place (tie), Best Radio Journalist.
• Alex Martin, senior mass media and strategic communication major from Trenton, fifth place, Best Radio Feature Reporter.
• Bethany Collins, junior mass media and strategic communication major from Dresden, honorable mention (three-way tie), Best Op-Ed Writing.
Since 2005, WUTM has placed in the top three for Best College Radio Station in all but one of those years (2006), when only a first-place ranking was awarded. The station has finished in first place 13 times over the last 20 years.
PHOTO: Representing UT Martin at the Southeast Journalsim Conference, Jan. 31-Feb. 2, in Starkville, Mississippi, were (front center, l-r) Chloe Kent, Clarissa Spitzley, Kate Pilcher, Aubrey Abbott, LeeAnne Morefield, (back row, l-r) Ethan Tanner, Chyler Lee, Connor Butts, Bethany Collins, Trenton Michon, Marques Rice, Katelyn Cohee and Gwendolyn Lyle.
