Two CJC Student Journalists Honored in 2024-2025 Hearst Journalism Awards Feature Writing Competition

University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) Journalism senior Lauren Brensel and Sarah Henry, B.S. Journalism 2024, placed first and seventh, respectively in the 2024-2025 Hearst Journalism Awards Feature Writing Competition. There were 149 entries from 79 schools submitted in the first of four writing competitions of the academic year.

Brensel’s story, “When Private Pilots Falter, Air Controllers Are Saviors of Skies,” was created for Fresh Take Florida, a news service producing investigative and political content on Florida state government by UFCJC student journalists. Henry’s story, “Mascot for Cruelty,” was created in Senior Lecturer Cynthia Barnett’s Feature Writing class and published in Atrium Magazine, the first narrative nonfiction magazine published by UFCJC students.

Brensel, who is managing editor of Atrium magazine, will receive a $3,000 prize and she qualifies for the National Writing Championship  in June 2025. Henry will receive a certificate.

Currently, UFCJC is in first place in the Intercollegiate Writing Competition with the highest accumulated student points.

The Journalism Awards Program, now in its 65th year, also includes two photojournalism, one audio, two television, and four multimedia competitions. The program offers up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends. 105 member universities of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication with accredited undergraduate journalism programs are eligible to participate in the Hearst competitions.

Posted: January 16, 2025
Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
Tagged as: 2024-2025 Hearst Journalism Awards, Hearst Feature Writing Competition, Lauren Brensel, Sarah Henry