LAWRENCE, KS – Haskell Indian Nations University’s journalism students have received outstanding achievement awards from the Indigenous Journalists Association. Students and a faculty member received the recognition for their exceptional reporting in the university’s paper, the Haskell Indian Leader.
“Quality journalism is one of the cornerstones of a free and just society,” said Rhonda Levaldo, Interim Vice President of Academics. “We are extremely proud of our students for their hard work providing insightful reporting within Native communities. We are committed to producing informative and newsworthy content.”
Among the first-place winners for best reporting are:
- Zachary ‘Xakai’ Arquette, Jada Martin, and Kaya Friday – Best TV News Story and Best TV Sports Story
- Zachary ‘Xakai’ Arquette – Best TV Feature Story
- Zachary ‘Xakai’ Arquette – Best Print/Online News Story
- Haskell Indian Leader staff – Best Editorial
- Haskell Indian Leader staff – Best Digital Publication
“Our journalism program is among the best in the country,” said Dr. Francis Arpan, Haskell President. “We are competing with top journalism schools across the United States and these awards are a testament to the academic rigor and high standards we strive to instill in the next generation of journalists. They have all done outstanding work covering Indian Country and deserve national recognition.”
Additional awards include:
- Zachary ‘Xakai’ Arquette – Second and Third place for Best Print/Online News Story
- Zachary ‘Xakai’ Arquette – Third place for Best Print/Online Feature Story
The Indigenous Journalists Association’s annual competition recognized excellence in reporting from the U.S. and Canada with more than 200 awards. In all, Haskell won 10 of those awards.
