Above: SAU Communications students Luke Vera, Malu Garuba–Coelho, Makenna Verdon, and Evie Breitbach pose with their awards. Photo by Greg Armstrong.
“And the award goes to…St. Ambrose University!”
Each year, the Iowa College Media Association honors the best of college print, audio, and visual news in a plethora of categories.
Among the many winners from SAU is junior, Sydnee Horstman, a Buzz editor and reporter for SAUtv, who says she is very happy with the results of the ceremony.
“I am most proud of winning Best Experimental Video. The video is a 45-second hype video for the SAU cheer team to play on the jumbotron at the national championship,” Hostman explained. “It was the first hype video I ever shot and edited. To hear that it won at an award show has given me the most confidence I have felt in a really long time.”
She says she owes her skills in part to her professors, who have helped her along the way. “I would not be the videographer I am today without the guidance and support from Greg and Jordan in the communications department. They allow me to experiment with my own equipment for projects and assignments in class to help further my creative vision. They always have the best advice and corrections to help refine my skills.
SAU senior Ryan Schiestal mirrors Horstman’s excitement. “I think for myself I was just glad that all of our hard work was being recognized.” Schiestal says. “I was really proud of the station as a whole when I found out we won multiple awards. It took plenty of hours and hard work from our students and Dave Baker to broadcast high-quality sports, podcasts, and radio shows.”
To Schiestel, KALA Sports Director, some awards meant more than others.
“I’m definitely most proud of the Best Sports Broadcast award that AJ Tappa and I won. I was nervous for the first broadcast of the year, but we couldn’t have asked for a better game and call.”
2024 was the first year that SAU was a member of the ICMA, which includes institutions across the state such as Wartburg College, Loras College, and Drake University. The nomination process starts in the fall, with faculty and staff from each school choosing their department’s best work from that year. From there, a panel of professionals in the field chooses who shone the brightest in each category.
Dave Baker, KALA general manager of 40 years, shed some light on the decision to join the organization.
“The ICMA is obviously more focused on the student learning experience in journalism, broadcasting, and social media distribution,” Baker says. “It’s good to belong to an organization with our peers in higher education. We can learn from each other.”
Baker was just as proud of St. Ambrose’s representation at the ceremony as his students were. “We have broadcast live sports on KALA as long as I can remember, and anytime we are recognized for excellence in that field, it’s an affirmation we are doing good work with our students here.”
In total, SAU took home 13 awards. The full list is as follows:
The Buzz / The Hive
First Place, Best Multimedia Storytelling Package: Sydnee Horstman SAU Dance Marathon
Second Place, Best Media Website: “The Hive“
SAUTV
First Place, Best Video Newscast: SAUtv SAU Weekly 5/10/24
First Place, Best Video News Programming: SAUtv SAU Weekly – Higgins Hall
First Place, Best Experimental Video: Sydnee Horstman SAU Cheer Hype Video
First Place, Best Use of Social Media: SAUtv Facebook and Instagram
Second Place, Best Variety Music Comedy Program: SAUtv Stingerz w/ Brett Billman
Third Place, Best Entertainment Storytelling Package: Cole Negen Vice President Pez Collection
KALA Radio
First Place, Best Sports Broadcast: Football vs. Briar Cliff, Ryan Schiestel and AJ Tappa
First Place, Best Promo: KALA
Second Place, Best Entertainment Show: Live from The Hive
Third Place, Best Podcast Series: Malu Coelho
Honorable Mention, Best Sports Program: Unsportsmanlike Conduct
