Chart, Hanrahan honored by Missouri College Media Association

Missouri Southern State University's newspaper, The Chart, has certainly faced hardships over the past several months, primarily in dealing with President Bruce Speck's efforts to keep the student reporters as far away from the truth as possible.

All of Speck's machinations have done him little good. Despite the obstacles, the Chart has continued to print one hard-hitting story after another and has delivered tough, well considered editorials.

The consistent quality work was recognized by the Missouri College Media Association Saturday night when the newspaper garnered 18 awards and T. R. Hanrahan was named Advisor of the Year.

In honoring Hanrahan, Dr. Bob Bergland of Missouri Western State University, who made the presentation, cited his courage. The following except is taken from Dr. Bergland's speech:

We ended up choosing the winner based upon a trait perhaps not often associated with being an adviser: courage.

T.R. Hanrahan has both shown great courage and helped foster courage in his students in their coverage of highly controversial stories. It’s not easy reporting on and writing editorials about questionable decisions made by a president, athletic director or board of governors. It’s also not easy to deal with the fallout from those stories, including being called in to discuss “policy” with an athletic director or vice president or being criticized in public by a member of the board of governors—especially when you’re an untenured faculty/staff member in a climate where administrators might consider quelling dissent by eliminating your position under the guise of “necessary budget cuts.” Indeed, as T.R. commented, the faculty adviser position is one of the few jobs in which the better you do your job, the more you are likely to lose it. But T.R. has never wavered in his courage. He has never wavered in his encouragement to his students to report with the truth without fear. The Chart, its reporters and editors and its readers—and MCMA and the profession as a whole—are richer because of that example of courage.

The Chart finished in first place for Best Overall Newspaper in Class 2.

Other first place awards went to:

Alexandra Nicolas, newswriting; Brennan Stebbins, sports writing; Patricia Pham, regular column; Travis Curtice and Caitlin Curtice, special secition/supplement; Jessica Schreindl, story illustration.

Receiving second place awards:

Brennan Stebbins, editorial writing; Travis Curtice and Caitlin Curtice, photo page; The Chart, sweepstakes, Class 2

Third place honors were awarded to:

Alexandra Nicolas, sports writing; Parker Willis, regular column; Nathan Carter, entertainment review; Tiffany Eads, Angela Westphal, feature page

The newspaper also was awarded honorable mention in five categories.