Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: UT-Austin Entry Title: ‘Existence is resistance’ Entry Credit: Catharine Li, Naina Srivastava Judge Comment: Excellent example of people-first reporting showing the impact of Texas' immigration policy shifts over the last two and a half decades. Critical reporting to be doing at this time, and the reporters did it well here.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: A&M-College Station Entry Title: 'There's only one John Sharp': After 14 years, the Texas A&M System's longest-serving chancellor nears retirement Entry Credit: Nicolas Gutteridge Judge Comment: An in-depth look-back at Sharp's tenure that is well framed, reported, and written. An important story for a student paper. Reporter really stuck the landing.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Abilene Christian Entry Title: Texas rural hospitals await the budget cut storm Entry Credit: Callie Leverett Judge Comment: A great example of enterprise reporting on a worsening issue across Texas' rural communities. Spotlights real impacts in a way readers will quickly understand. Reporter did a great job explaining the stakes.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: UT-Arlington Entry Title: Arlington keeps antidiscrimination chapter, suspends LGBTQ+ protections Entry Credit: Pedro Malkomes, James Ward Judge Comment: Great meeting coverage of a heated topic. Coverage is well-framed and level-headed, which is important for covering topics like this. Great job.
