5/4/23

By Tiger Media Network

HAYS, Kan. - Numerous students from Tiger Media Network recently earned statewide, regional, and national honors for their work during the last year.

TMN, the convergent media hub for Fort Hays State University students, has grown throughout the last five years and employs students from multiple majors at the university. Those students produce written articles for the website, audio, and video projects, as well as nearly 100 different sports and news productions throughout each school year.

“The work our students produce helps them develop leadership skills and civic engagement and provides a real-world learning environment – all things essential to producing engaged, global citizens,” said Nick Schwien, director of Tiger Media Network. “We are extremely proud of the professional work our students continually showcase, and the awards they have received recently are a great way for them to earn the recognition they deserve not only statewide but regionally and nationally as well.”Multiple TMN students collaborated to earn second-place honors in the 2023 Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts contest for Video Sports Live Game Production. Their submission was the student-produced, live broadcast of the 2022 NCAA Division II Central Region women’s basketball championship game between FHSU and Missouri Western.

BEA competitions do not separate universities into categories based on size or enrollment. Instead, the TMN students were in the same category as many larger NCAA Division I institutions.

“For our students and their work to be mentioned in the same breath as some of the top broadcasting schools in the country, regardless of size or division, is a testament to the quality students we have at Fort Hays and working for TMN,” said Russell Heitmann, news and sports director for TMN. “I am really proud of how much ownership the students take in the productions, so for their work to be recognized on a national scale speaks to the students and their abilities.”

Tiger Media Network was ranked 23rd in Top Winning Sports Programs from BEA in 2023. That ranking is based on student achievements at the BEA Festival of Media Arts, which is known as the preeminent international media competition focused on student and faculty creative endeavors. TMN students were ranked higher than multiple DI schools, including the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Baylor University, and West Virginia University. FHSU was the only university in Kansas ranked in the top 30.

“Through our co-curricular collaboration with TMN, we offer students exceptional opportunities to combine technical skills and creativity to develop compelling stories in multimedia format,” said Melissa Hunsicker-Walburn, chair of the Department of Informatics, which includes Tiger Media Network. “TMN is a learning lab that enhances and expands the opportunities for students to refine and improve their creative products. Award-winning, multimedia student portfolios help our students differentiate themselves in the job market thanks to organizations like BEA and KAB.”

FHSU students also earned nine awards from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters – including five first-place honors.

Freshman Caleb Todd won first in Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter in the college audio category, and Freshman Garrett Wellbrock won first in Sports Play-by-Play in the college audio category.

Senior Tim Schoepflin won top honors for station promotion in the college visual category, and TMN swept the categories for best station website in the college audio and visual divisions.

In the Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards in Region 7, three TMN students were named finalists. Region 7 includes colleges from Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Sophomore Madison Shapland and sophomore Caitlin Leiker were named finalists in the Photo Essay/Slideshow category. Junior Kerrigan Hutton was a finalist in the category for Television General News Reporting.

Tiger Media Network also received international coverage from NewTek and Vizrt for its student productions and learning environment for students.

• Continuing community at Fort Hays State University with Vizrt Group Tech
• Telling Better Stories with Instant Replay at Fort Hays State University

 Complete TMN award winners:

Kansas Association of Broadcasters Awards 2023

Best General News Story

Kerrigan Hutton, College Visual category, Honorable Mention, Value Them Both Amendment

Best Podcast

Devin Plummer, Jacob Caffrey, Riley Champney, College Visual category, second place, Silver Screen Podcasts

Public Affairs/Talk Show Program

Kerrigan Hutton, College Visual category, Honorable Mention, Strategic Affiliation Q&A with FHSU, NCK Tech, and NWK Tech

Sports Color Commentator or Sideline Reporter

Caleb Todd, College Audio category, First Place

Cayden Sanders, College Audio category, Second Place

Sports Play by Play

Garrett Wellbrock, College Audio category, First Place

Station Promotion Announcement

Tim Schoepflin, College Visual category, First Place, TMN Sports Broadcast Promo

Station Website

Tiger Media Network, College Audio category, First Place

Tiger Media Network, College Visual category, First Place

Society of Professional Journalists

Mark of Excellence Awards

Region 7

• Madison Shapland, finalist, Photo Essay/Slideshow, FHSU men’s basketball vs. Northeastern State slideshow
• Caitlin Leiker, finalist, Photo Essay/Slideshow, Local farmers, Hays community members make 1,700 pounds of sauerkraut
• Kerrigan Hutton, finalist, Television General News Reporting, Value Them Both Amendment

Broadcast Education Association

Festival of Media Arts 2023

Video Sports Live Game Production

Tiger Media Network, Second place, FHSU vs. Missouri Western women’s basketball regional title game

BEA School Rankings Based on Student Achievements

2023 Rankings

Fort Hays State University, tied for 23rd, Top Winning Sports Programs