Elon Local News, alumni recognized with RTDNAC awards

The student-produced newscast was honored with eight awards, including four first-place finishes, and two School of Communications graduates were recognized for their professional journalism efforts.

Students and alumni of Elon Local News received several accolades on Nov. 7, 2015, at the RTDNAC awards luncheon in Charlotte. Photo courtesy of Elon Local News
​Elon Local News, Elon University’s student-produced newscast, received eight awards at the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas awards luncheon, including a sweep of first and second place in the Best TV News Producing competition. In the ceremony’s professional categories, two School of Communications alumni – Neima Abdulahi ’13 and Joe Bruno ’14 – were also honored for their work.

During the Nov. 7, 2015, luncheon, hosted by RTDNAC and The Associated Press in Charlotte, ELN and its staff collected four first-place and four second-place awards.

Ryan Greene ’15, a marketing and creative production associate at ABC News, took first in the Best TV News Producing competition for her work on ELN’s Feb. 9, 2015, broadcast. The newscast featured segments on same sex marriage and acceptance of LGBTQIA individuals in local religious communities, Black History Month and civil rights leaders in Greensboro, and a youth baseball coach in need of a liver transplant.

In the same category, Corey Shegda ’16 placed second for her work on ELN Morning’s April 23, 2015, broadcast.

Ashley McGetrick ’16 was awarded first place in the Best TV News Reporting category for her “Unpaid Tour Guide Training Breaks NC, Federal Law” report, investigating Elon’s Office of Admissions tour guide training program.

Andrew Feather ’17 won first place in the Best Student Feature Reporting (TV) competition for his report titled “Local youth baseball coach in need of liver transplant,” highlighting Craig Edwards’ dire need of a transplant.

In keeping with athletics-human interest coverage, Justin Biegel ’16 received second place in the Best TV Sports Story competition for his work titled “Elon Baseball Shaves Head for Cancer Research.

Neima Abdulahi ’13 and Joe Bruno ’14 were both presented awards during the awards luncheon. Photo courtesy of Elon Local News
​John Curtis ’17 captured first place in the Best Radio News Reporting competition for his “Bringing Hope to Alamance County” segment, highlighting a student-led community organization that collects food for the hungry. Curtis also took second place in the Best Radio Feature Reporting category for his segment titled “The Life of a Tattoo Artist.”

Lastly, ELN Radio and producer Elizabeth Bilka ’18 won second place in the Best Radio Newscast category for their April 8, 2015, broadcast.

In the luncheon’s professional competitions, Abdulahi, a digital journalist at FOX46 Charlotte, won first place in the General News by Multimedia Journalist category. Her award-winning submission was titled “Lost City of Brooklyn.” Abdulahi also placed second in the TV News Multimedia Journalist of the Year competition.

Bruno, a reporter at WSOC-TV in Charlotte, placed second in the Use of Technology category for his report titled “Alpha Kappa Alpha Dinner.” Bruno filmed the segment while working as a reporter at FOX46 Charlotte.

This year’s awards competition recognized the best of television, radio, website and collegiate work from July 1, 2014, through June 30, 2015.

About the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas

RTDNAC sponsors professional development meetings and seminars for journalists in North and South Carolina. It holds an annual fall meeting, which offers training for professionals and honors winners of the awards competition. The organization’s annual spring workshop is geared toward helping students hone their skills as they prepare to enter the job market.