KTSW Staff Awards: Spring 2020

By KTSW Executive Staff

Each year, KTSW holds an awards night for its staff during the last staff meeting. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, KTSW was unable to award its staff members with well-deserved accolades. Still, the team of executives for spring 2020 put together awards or recognition statements for their individual departments and staffs.

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News

News Director: Juan Garcia

News Staff MVP: Hector Montemayor-Perez

Best Wrap: Tiger Shi

Print Specialist: Madyson Sanchez

Most Improved: Justice Graves

Best IPI Segment: Clayton Kelley

Most Versatile: Megan Wehring

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Multimedia

Multimedia Director: Eric Hernandez

“I’d like to recognize the multimedia staff and all their hard work before the world came to a stop.”

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Music

Music Director: Katharine Robertson

Although the status quo of pretty much everything has been challenged, the one thing that has remained steady and constant is the Music staff here at KTSW. During this whole semester full of twists and turns and surprises, we have continuously been producing some of the best content we ever have produced. Because we aren’t able to celebrate our staff like we normally would have at the end of the semester, I, the music director, have compiled my list of the articles that have made me realize how lucky I am to have such a killer staff. 

Best Interview: James Lanik

This one was a no brainer for me. This article came out in February but it has still maintained it’s quality and professionalism. The types of questions Jimmy asks and the quality of the answers given by the band make this interview a must read even if you aren’t familiar with sleep well.. And if I’m being honest, all of Jimmy’s work this semester blew me away so while you’re reading this one might as well read the rest of his work — you won’t be disappointed. 

Best Review: Jason Arline

Music reviews are kind of our bread and butter for the music department. With the constant stream of album reviews that are being produced, it can be hard to sift through all of them. With that being said this review of RZA’s newest project perfectly combined an album review and a look at how it can help with the current state of affairs. 

Best General: Faith Vara

One of the best parts about the KTSW blog are the many ideas and topics that flow through it. In this article, Faith Vara, Local Music Director, takes a look at an emerging trend in the music industry. Cassettes are a lost art-form that are coming back like vinyl did and in this article Vara explains exactly why you should care and take part in this revival. 

Hottest Take: Rebecca Harrell

Just from the title of this article you can tell it’ll be a piping hot take. I mean country music is an extremely polarizing genre; either you love it or you absolutely hate it. This piece by Rebecca (who is constantly producing great work) takes a look back at what country music is supposed to be and what it has become. 

Best Rap Article: Gage Sutton

With the loss of Mac Miller almost two years ago, the music industry lost one of the greatest and in this article Gage Sutton relives his whole discography and gives it the attention it deserves. From the beginning of this piece it’s easy to see the effort and care that Sutton put into writing this. The attention to detail is easy to see as well which makes this ode to the late rapper so much more sentimental. 

Best Playlist(s): Christopher Brocker & Zoe Elter

When it comes to the content we produce, more often than not we focus on the currents and the newest releases. Like the timeliness that exists in news, it exists in music as well. But who doesn’t love a good throwback? This playlists by Christopher Brocker takes a look back on 30 years of music and the tracks range from Lauryn Hill to Luther Vandross. 

This has been my personal favorite playlist of the semester with some of my favorite artists and songs featured on it so of course I was going to mention it. Music Journalist, Zoe Elter, takes you on a journey from K-Indie (Korean Indie) music that’s starting to gain more and more recognition. If you’re a fan of K-pop or just non-english music, check this playlist out. 

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Program

Program Director: Madalyn White

Best On-Air Personality: Tatiana Torres

Best Duo: Everett Hughes and Chris McClain

Best Specialty Show: Caroline Janes

Rookies of the Fall: Saidif Mejia & Mekenzie Primm

Other Side Drive

Best Artist Interview: Latchkey Kid by Cassidy Hendrickson & Riley Griffin

Best Community Interview: Cassidy Hendrickson & Mia Barbosa

Best Duo: Katharine Robertson & Dylan Holland

Best Personality: Riley Griffin

Rookie of the Spring: Mia Barbosa

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Sports

Sports Director: Garrett Martin

Best On-Air Performance: Jude McClaren

Best Photographer: Remle Herzberg

Best Stand-Up: Amanda Geyer

🦄 NBHS 34 | 🐍 SMHS 29

End of 2Q:

Halftime Sideline Report 🐍 with @CoachPinchback and @mandaelizabeth3 #RattlerDefense 🐍 #KTSWSports 📻 pic.twitter.com/8SofFonLE7

— KTSW Sports (@KTSWSports) February 12, 2020

Best Written Piece: Kory Guidry

Communication Award: Reilly Low

Credibility Award: DeShaun Hartley

Persistance Award: Adam Keehn

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Web Content

Web Content Manager: Lauren Jurgemeyer

Best Article of the Spring: Lauren Rabalais

Best COVID-19 Coverage Article: Arlett Ramirez

Best Coverage Article: Piper Blake

Best Quarantine-themed Article: Ashton Herman

Strongest Commentary in an Article: Tiger Shi

Best Opinion Piece: Timia Cobb

Best Entertainment Piece: Brittany Anderson

Best Pop Culture Article: Emily Garza

Best Local Piece: Andie Mau

Best Lifestyle Article: Chelyse Prevost

Best Listicle: Ally Bolender

Honorary Web Content Member: Danielle Rubio

Rookie of the Spring: Stacey Ramirez

Social Media

Social Media Administrator: Sam Searles

“Instead of a champion of the month or any specific categorized award, every single person on my staff is my “champion” of sorts. They blew me away with the hard work and dedication to their craft whenever they were assigned anything. It would be unfair to honor one above another when every single person did phenomenal work during the semester and especially during the weird times of COVID-19.”

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Message from Dan Schumacher to the Station Manager Ethan Hunt

What can I say about your time as station manager?  It seems like it was over not long after it began.  Thank you for your willingness to step in mid-school year to get us to the finish line.  Thank you for making lemonade from the lemon that is COVID-19.  And thank you for all you’ve done to prepare Juan for taking over the reins (and for making lemonade using his own recipe… yeah, I know, enough of the lemon/lemonade metaphor, Dan!).  And now it’s go-time, so go, go, GO!  And make us proud, as I am confident that you will. 

To the Graduates

Congratulations Seniors on making it through 4 years at Texas State University and spending part of that time at KTSW! Hopefully the skills you have learned here will help guide you toward your future careers and future success.

All of us here at KTSW wish you the best in your future endeavors. This is a time of celebration for each and everyone of your accomplishments and enjoy the fact that even with these hard times, you made it to graduation.

Congratulations Class of 2020!!