University of Mississippi students and faculty travel to Washington, D.C., this week to accept the 2013 College Journalism Award from The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.
The RFK Journalism Award is given to recognize outstanding reporting on issues that reflect Robert Kennedy’s dedication to human rights and social issues and his belief in the power of individual action.
The winter intersession study abroad course, called “Multimedia Storytelling,” was a collaboration between the journalism school and the Division of Outreach and Continuing Education.
Five students – Aubry Killion, Cain Madden, Margaret Ann Morgan, Katie Williamson and Jajuan McNeil — and three faculty members in the Meek School of Journalism and New Media produced the multimedia project. The project included a print depth report, titled “M-powered: University of Mississippi students learn through service in Belize,” a television series and online content documenting the interdisciplinary work of study abroad students in Belize.
The students were accompanied by Director of Student Media Patricia Thompson, who was the editor for the project, and Meek School of Journalism and New Media Assistant Professor Mikki Harris, who was photography/video editor for the project. They traveled to Belize in January 2012 to document the service learning work.
Meek School Assistant Professor Darren Sanefski was design editor for the print publication.
“It was such a joy to get a phone call from Mrs. Ethel Kennedy congratulating us,” Thompson said. “The journalism students worked 24/7 for many weeks. We wanted to help tell the story of this community in Belize, and the inspiring story of the empowerment project. I am proud of the students’ work, and proud to be part of a journalism school that offers students such unusual and incredible international journalism opportunities.”
Kim Shackelford, former associate professor of social work at Ole Miss, was instrumental in the success of the service learning work in Belize, which was focused on a road-building project.
“Highlighting Kim Shackelford’s work was incredible and being able to show the entire world the San Mateo Empowerment Project through The M-Powered Magazine was life changing,” said Aubry Killion, now an Ole Miss graduate who works as a television correspondent in Fort Smith, Ark.
“It seemed weird to me at first when thinking about a road as a state-of-the-art thing,” said Jajuan McNeil, who graduated with a master’s degree in May and now works as a marketing professional.
The people of San Mateo “longed for something better, and as they created their ‘something better,’ life changed, inch by inch,” McNeil said.
The 33rd RFK Book awards ceremony will be held Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., at 6 p.m.
The Meek School of Journalism and New Media won the only college award. Winners of the professional categories include NBC News, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and CNN.
