(March 1, 2006 – Lawrence, KS) KU currently ranks first place in the 46th annual William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s Journalism Awards Program, with the highest accumulated school points from the first four, out of six, writing competitions. More than 100 undergraduate accredited journalism programs in colleges and universities across the nation participate in the prestigious awards program.

The latest KU winners are Ryan Colaianni, sixth place, and Matt Wilson, ninth place, both in sports writing. University Daily Kansan staff members have placed first and ninth in in-depth reporting; 11th in feature writing and 20th in editorial writing. Both Colaianni and Wilson received $500 cash scholarships.

Ryan Colaianni’s story, “Pounds of Performance,” studied the growing size and weight of college football players and the dangers associated with this trend. His story, written for Newspaper Reporting, an advanced media class in the School of Journalism, appeared in the Dec. 1, 2005, issue of The University Daily Kansan.

Matt Wilson’s story “Welcome to Fabulous Debt,” examined the dangers of sports gambling. His story, written for the Newspaper Reporting class, appeared in the Dec. 6, 2005, issue of The Kansan.

Steve Vockrodt recently placed first in the In-Depth Writing competition and Louis Mora placed ninth. Vockrodt received a $2,000 cash scholarship and Mora a $500 cash scholarship.

Steve Vockrodt, a May 2005 graduate, researched and wrote “The Scarlet List,” a comprehensive examination of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation Web site that tracks the identity and whereabouts of sex offenders. His project, written for a Depth Reporting class in the School of Journalism, appeared in the May 12, 2005, issue of The Kansan. Vockrodt now reports for The Olathe News.

Louis Mora’s story, “The Greek Divide,” focused on how and why KU’s fraternities and sororities remain more than 99 percent white nearly 40 years after they were required to change membership rules that excluded African Americans from membership. His story, written as a final project for the Newspaper Reporting class, was published in the Dec. 5, 2005, issue of The Kansan.

Ted Frederickson, professor of journalism and instructor for Newspaper Reporting and Depth Reporting, said the final project requirement “gives students a chance to apply and demonstrate the skills they developed in all of their journalism classes to one major story.”

“Most of those students end up producing the best stories they have yet written, and some not only win national recognition in the Hearst competition but actually launch successful journalism careers based on their stories,” Frederickson said.

The winning schools will be named in April upon the conclusion of the final writing contests, with the winning school receiving a $10,000 grant, the second place school $5,000 and the third place school $3,000.

The Hearst Journalism Awards Program is conducted under the auspices of accredited schools of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication, and fully funded and administered by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. It consists of six monthly writing competitions, three photojournalism competitions and four broadcast news competitions with Championship finals in all divisions. Each accredited school or department of journalism is allowed to submit two student entries in the six writing categories, with the winners chosen by a panel of distinguished professional journalists.