casperoa@lopers.unk.edu

UNK students saw major success at the 2021-22 Golden Leaf Awards. Students placed first in all nine main categories and in 18 out of 36 sub-categories. 

This contest gives the students in the Department of Communication a chance to compete against six other colleges: Peru State, Wayne State, Chadron State and Doane University.

“For a school our size, I knew the students needed competition,” said Rob Breeding, journalism senior lecturer and faculty adviser of The Antelope. “Competition helps keep students sharp and striving to be better.” 

 The goal of the Northern Plains Collegiate Media Association Golden Leaf Awards is to recognize the work of students in their student media. 

Video, radio and newswriting are the most well-rounded areas at UNK. Out of the 18 subcategory wins, 14 were given in those topics.  

One of the largest accomplishments to come out of the Golden Leaf Awards was The Antelope winning best overall newspaper. 

 “As the adviser here, I have phenomenal students and they deserve all the credit,” Breeding said. “I am just their adviser, not their boss, all the credit goes to them.” 

The Golden Leaf Awards were paused the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Breeding and students like Grace McDonald, worked hard to keep it alive, and now it has the opportunity to grow.

“It’s so rewarding to see a program that was almost dead when I came to UNK be fully thriving,” McDonald said. “We have people in the newsroom every day who come to just hang out or work.”

This contest is meant to help students create better journalism within a competition, instead of turning in projects for a grade. 

Although UNK had successful results from the last competition, Breeding is still hungry for more competitive opportunities for his students.

“I am very excited that we won awards at the Golden Leaf,” Breeding said. “But we want to keep moving forward in the direction to competing nationally.”