Hall School of Journalism and Communication alumnus Jamon Smith was part of the Tuscaloosa News team recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize in the breaking news category for its coverage of the April 27, 2011 tornado.

The newspaper used social media to update the community of the storm and aftermath when power was knocked out in Tuscaloosa.

HSJC Alumnus Jamon Smith

Jamon Smith’s work in the entry package includes the first staff report on the damage in Alberta in the “Tornado ravages city” “Survivors crawl from rubble” story, the “Authorities restrict access to Rosedale Court” story, some tweets in the Twitter feed, some photos and a video.

Jamon Smith graduated from Troy University’s Hall School of Journalism and Communication in 2004.  Smith was a reporter for the Tropolitan while at Troy and he was a columnist for the school newspaper in 2003.

This is the second Pulitzer Prize earned by Hall School of Journalism and Communication graduates. The first was won by HSJC alumnus Ed Rouze, the news editor of the Alabama Journal in 1988 when that newspaper wrote a series of articles about infant mortality in Alabama.

The faculty, staff and students congratulate Jamon Smith for his great achievements and his contributions to journalism and the public his newspaper serves.

2012 HSJC/JAA Outstanding Alumni Award Winners (left to right) Tiffeny Hurado Owens, Aaron Taylor, Peggy Hoomes Jaye and Desmond Wingard

Congratulations to the Hall School of Journalism and Communication / Journalism Alumni Association’s 2012 Outstanding Alumni Award recipients. Receiving awards this year: Tiffeny Hurtado Owens – Outstanding Alumna – Print Journalism. Tiffeny Hurtado Owens is the Decatur City Hall reporter for the The Decatur Daily, a 100 -year-old family-owned newspaper. She covers Decatur City Council, mayor’s office, zoning, planning and personnel boards and finance work sessions. She also reports on economic development and public projects. Tiffeny graduated from Troy and the Hall School in 2008.

Aaron Taylor – Merrill Bankester Outstanding Service Award Aaron Taylor is the production coordinator for Troy University’s TrojanVision-TV. After graduating from Troy’s Hall School in 2000, he worked for WAKA-TV in Montgomery before returning to Troy. Aaron has served as a Journalism Alumni Association board member for most of the last decade and he assumed the role on interim JAA president last fall. His leadership is instrumental in rebuilding the JAA.

Peggy Hoomes Jay – Outstanding Alumna – Public Relations Peggy Hoomes Jay is a public affairs manager for Georgia-Pacific’s Alabama River Cellulose facility in Monroe County after 21 years with Alabama River Pulp Company, its owner until 2010. Peggy Hoomes Jay was Escambia County Junior Miss when she attended Troy. She graduated in 1980 with a degree in journalism and public relations. She volunteers with the Kiwanis, United Way, Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Authority, Alabama Forestry Association and the Black Belt Initiative.

Desmond Wingard – Outstanding Alumnus – Broadcast Journalism Desmond Wingard started working for WSFA TV-12 before he graduated from Troy’s Hall School in 1999. He started at WSFA as an editor and photographer on the weekends, but later added the hat of associate producer and producer for “Today in Alabama.” In 2003, Desmond was promoted to producer for “WSFA 12 News at 6:00.” Desmond is currently the assistant news director at WSFA. Desmond has earned numerous awards for his work at WSFA and from his time as a student at Troy.

Here are some photos from the 2012 HSJC/JAA Awards Banquet.

Dr. Padgett at the HSJC/JAA Awards Banquet

Doc Kirby performs

Dr. Hoppin at the HSJC/JAA Awards Banquet

M. Stanton Evans speaks at the HSJC/JAA Banquet

Prof. Mac McKerral returns to the Hall School

Dean Bankester at the HSJC/JAA Banquet

Photo by Patrice Stewart

Seventeen HSJC students visited Goat Hill in Montgomery, where the Alabama Legislature works, on Feb. 22. They talked with legislators, journalists, lobbyists and legislative staffers while preparing stories for Alabama newspapers.

Their visit was part of a hometown legislative reporting project partially funded by the Alabama Press Association Journalism Foundation.

They are enrolled in JRN 3315, the advanced reporting class taught by Prof. Steve Stewart. From left are Forrest Anglin, Haley Gibson, Ryan McCollough, Tyler Mock, Tyler Myers, Cody Muzio, Brian Anderson, Crystal Yang, Ian Shea, Meshana Hubbard, Adele Kerlin, Steve Stewart, Ariel Casey, Brittani Harris, Brittany Harrison, Chase McGowin, Allison Dickens and Ashley Wimberley.

Click here to see a story by Cody Muzio published in the Montgomery Advertiser. This story is a written as part of the Hall School’s hometown legislative reporting project.

Congratulations to the Hall School of Journalism and Communication students for their award-winning work on Troy TrojanVision-TV’s news broadcasts. Troy TrojanVision Nightly News earned first place in the Southeast Journalism Conference’s 2012 Best of the South competition.

Troy TrojanVision has won first place 11 times in the last 12 years.

Additional Best of the South awards received at SEJC’s 2012 convention were:

• 4th Place – Rachel Ellis (Best Television Journalist)
• 5th Place – Joseph Melancon (Best News-Editorial Artist/Illustrator)
• 5th Place – Savannah Harrison (Best Arts and Entertainment Writer)
• 9th Place – Sara Hutto (Best New Graphic Designer)

The Hall School of Journalism and Communication’s Master of Science in Strategic Communication is on the Alabama Commission on Higher Education’s agenda for their June 8th meeting.

Approval by ACHE will allow Troy to admit the first class of students for this graduate degree program during the T1/Fall 2012 term.

The Council of Graduate Deans from all public universities in Alabama reviewed and commented on the Hall School’s proposal. The Council of Graduates recommended that ACHE approve this new graduate degree.

This exciting, innovative and timely degree proposal will be offered through Troy’s eTROY online campus.

Contact Dr. Padgett for more information about this proposal.

The Hall School of Journalism and Communication welcomes Prof. Morgan Drinkard as an adjunct faculty member. Prof. Drinkard earned her undergraduate degree from the Hall School and her graduate degree from the University of Alabama.

Prof. Drinkard will be teaching two sections of JRN 1100 Technologies in Journalism and one section of JRN 2230 Introduction to Public Relations during the Spring 2011 term.

Prof. Evans

Prof. M. Stanton Evans will teach two classes during the Spring 2012 term. In addition to teaching JRN 4421 Editorial Page, Prof. Evans will teach a class on reporting business and economics news.

The business and economics reporting class is one that Prof. Evans has wanted to introduce to Troy’s Hall School of Journalism and Communication for more than 20 years.

Prof. Evans is uniquely qualified to teach a class focused on reporting business and economic news. In addition to his strong career as an editor, a nationally syndicated columnist, author of nine scholarly books and as a commentator for NPR, the Voice of American and CBS network, Prof. Evans completed graduate work in economics at New York University.

Students interested in taking Prof. Evans’ classes should see their adviser.