Trinity writer named Journalist of the Year at student media awards

Emma Whitney, Trinity College Dublin winner of the Irish Examiner Journalist of the Year award. Pitcure: Moya Nolan

Trinity College Dublin's Emma Whitney has been named Journalist of the Year at the 24th National Student Media (Smedia) Awards.

The award, sponsored by the  Irish Examiner, was judged by the paper's production editor Karen Murray, who presented Ms Whitney with her prize at the awards in Dublin's Mansion House.

Her work with the Trinity News publication focused on the challenges that affected young people in contemporary Ireland.

Speaking about the winner, Ms Murray said: “News is about people and she showed a clear ability to get the human interest of any subject.” 

Ms Whitney was one of eight victories for Trinity at Wednesday's event, with Sports Writer of the Year being awarded to Jane Prendergast 

Technological University Dublin (TUD) won five awards, as did University College Dublin (UCD).

The Limerick Voice was named as Newspaper of the Year for UL, while Tessa Ndjonkou of UCD was awarded Editor of the Year for The University Observer.

University College Cork's (UCC) Chloe Barrett was awarded the Smedia for RSA Journalism Relating to Road Safety.

University of Galway's (UG) Tom O'Connor won three Smedias, all for his work in radio — taking the awards for Radio Journalist, Radio Production of the Year and Radio Documentary of the Year.

UG also won Website of the Year at the ceremony.

It was confirmed that the award for RSA Journalism Relating to Road Safety would be renamed the Joe Drennan award, in memory of the former UL journalism student who was killed in a hit-and-run last year.

There were a record 568 entries this year across the 38 categories and they were judged by renowned figures from the industry who lent their experience to the various aspiring student journalists.

Colman Byrne, organiser of the awards, said that even just being nominated for a Smedia Award is "a serious advantage from a career point of view".

The full list of winners are below.

Category	College	Student Name/Society Name
Collaborative Journalism	Trinity	Hosanna Boulter, Phoebe Pascoe
Small College Or Society Publication of The Year	Trinity	Fachtna Mac Chonghail, An Cumann Gaelach
Film Script of The Year	Trinity	Ava Nichols
Features Writer of The Year - Art & Pop Culture	Trinity	Clara Roche
Irish Examiner Journalist of The Year	Trinity	Emma Whitney
Sports Photographer of The Year	Trinity	Rory O’Sullivan Sexton
Sports Writer of The Year	Trinity	Jane Prendergast
Journalism Relating To Travel	UCD	Saoirse Wilson
Satirical Writer Of The Year	UCD	Connie Henry/Sasha Shame
European Commision Award, Journalism Relating To EU Affairs	UCD	Joshua McCormack
SFI Journalism relating to Science & Technology Science Foundation Ireland	UCD	Thomas Walsh
Editor of The Year	UCD	Tessa Ndjonkou
Magazine of The Year	TUD	Aoife daly, Ruben McCarthy, Leon Thompson, Alicia Namakau,Elio Bonelli, Mia Waterhouse, Ella Lynch, Wiktoria Sobzak, Juliet Franklin, Renee Melia
Radio DJ of The Year	TUD	Britney Madondo
Podcast of The Year	TUD	Sadbh Downes
Radio Production Of The Year Arts & Features	TUD	Jodie Dempsey
Features Writer of The Year - News & Current Affairs	Trinity	Ruby Topalian
Website of The Year	UG	Galway Pulse
Virgin Media Belonging award	UG	Michelle Geraghty
Radio Documentary of The Year	UG	Tom O’Connor
Radio Production of The Year	UG	Tom O’Connor
Radio Journalist	UG	Tom O’Connor
Layout and Design of The Year	UL	The Limerick Voice
Newspaper of The Year	UL	The Limerick Voice
Journalism Relating To Health	UL	Gemma Good
Journalist of The Year - National Media	Griffith College	Bartira Augelli
EPA Award, Journalism Relating To The Environment	Griffith College	Bartira Augelli
News Photographer of The Year	Limerick College of Further Education  (LCFE)	Jake Rowat
Photographer of The Year	LCFE	Celine Mermier
Short Film of The Year	South East Technological University  (SETU)	William Cribbin, Samuel Hartford, Dylan Tuke, Nurlan Kennedy.
Gearrfhíséan Dátheangach Na Bliana (BLOC)TG4 BLOC	SETU	Cassie Kirby
Léiriúcháin Teilifíse i nGaeilge - Faisnéis agus Drámaíocht	SETU	Lia Nic Craith
Virgin Media Digital Content Creator Award	Colaiste Dhulaigh	Maria Koshyrenkova
Film Documentary of The Year	GMIT	Samuel Burns
Short Story of The Year	TUD	Juliana Cooper
Raidío trí Ghaeilge Radio Na Gaeltachta & Raidio Ri Ra	UCC	CeolMates
	UCC	Chloe Barrett
TV Production Of The Year.	Queens University	Philip Denvir