From Feb. 9-11, 2023, Union University’s Cardinal & Cream staff attended the Southeast Journalism Conference (SEJC) in Thibodaux, Louisiana where they received the award for “Best Magazine of the South” for the second year in a row along with several other individual awards.
There were 17 schools present at SEJC this year and many other schools which participated in the competition but were not in attendance at the conference.
This was Union’s second year to win “Best Magazine of the South,” and Kirbi Cochran, co-editor-in-chief of the Cardinal & Cream, attributes the win to the creativity and hard work of the entire Cardinal & Cream staff.
“It was very exciting to get to win for the second year because you know all of the hours the entire team put into creating this project, this magazine, were worth it,” Cochran said. “This year as co-editor-in-chief, I can really see how much everyone puts into the magazine and how much everyone on the team cares and gives it their whole heart. They invest in the magazine not just because it is an article they are assigned, but because it is something they are passionate about.”
Along with “Best Magazine of the South,” a few of the staff also received individual awards for their work. Maddie Steele won third place for best magazine writer, Faith Orr won third place for best magazine designer, Samuel Stettheimer won sixth place for best feature writer and Laila Al-Hagal won eighth place for best press photographer.
“I’m really proud of our students, but I’m even prouder of just how they handle themselves,” Ted Kluck, associate communication arts professor and journalism advisor, said. “Honestly, as a professor here over eight years, it’s rare that I remember any one thing that someone’s written, but I remember how they are, and that plays a big role in getting jobs and keeping jobs and getting book deals and all the things that our students will go on to do.”
Cochran explained that creating a magazine like this is a labor of love and it looks different from year to year. The process of writing, editing stories, taking photos and designing the magazine takes an entire semester to complete, and it all starts with a brainstorming session at the beginning of the semester. From there, the staff has the opportunity to write and have their work revised on several occasions before they send their pieces to the designers, who tell the story of the magazine with both the articles and photographs.
“Each magazine looks so unique and so different, and each magazine is a testament to the staff who created it,” Cochran said. “And every year because that staff changes, so does the content of the magazine, so does the style, so does the heart of the magazine.”
However, with each new staff, Kluck’s goal for the magazine and the program remains the same. That goal is to produce quality work and competent students who are prepared for the future ahead of them.
“These are people with a great head on their shoulders. They are growing in their relationships with the Lord, and I just couldn’t be more proud of who they are, ” Kluck said. “Year after year, to have it validated that we are doing good work here at Union, that was one of my goals. I want us competing at the highest level of the industry, and I want our students positioned to be able to go out and get jobs at the highest level of the industry if that’s what the Lord calls them to do.”
The digital edition of the Fall 2022 magazine is available here.
Congratulations on the win. Young students doing good work, well done!