vanderbilt student media awards

THE BAYLESS FELLOWSHIP FOR EXCEPTIONAL GRADUATING SENIORS

The Bayless Fellowship is awarded to graduating seniors who expect to pursue graduate study, internships, volunteer opportunities and/or careers in any media or communications field represented within Vanderbilt Student Communications. The Fellowship, made possible by a generous gift from Skip Bayless, A&S ’74, is designed to recognize and support exceptional students as they transition from Vanderbilt to essential roles in media.
  • 2022 MADISON HITCHCOCK
  • 2022 ELIZABETH HOOEY
  • 2022 IMMANUAL JOHN MILTON
  • 2022 EMMA JOHNSON
  • 2022 TAYLOR LOMAX
  • 2022 KELLY MORGAN
  • 2022 MIQUÉLA THORNTON
  • 2023 JESSICA BARKER
  • 2023 BOBBY KENT
  • 2023 ABHINAV KRISHNAN
  • 2023 EVAN MONK

THE CHARLES FORREST ALEXANDER AWARD IN JOURNALISM

Given in memory of Charles F. Alexander, B.A., ‘50, to a student who has achieved distinction in student journalistic projects. The student journalist’s activities must be broad based and distinguished.
  • 1982 JULIA L. HOWARD
  • 1983 DAVID S. FOTT
  • 1984 STEVE R. PRESNELL
  • 1985 TOM RUSHTON
  • 1986 MICHAEL CORNWELL
  • 1987 DANIEL BEAN
  • 1989 MARGARET COBLE
  • 1990 DAVID SHEININ
  • 1991 SAMUEL FEIST
  • 1992 ANDREW MARANISS
  • 1993 ROSALIND SMITH
  • 1994 STACY GOLDATE
  • 1995 JENNIFER PEEBLES
  • 1996 RYAN UNDERWOOD
  • 1998 PAUL RUBINSON
  • 1999 DAVID HAFFNER
  • 2000 EOTHEN ALAPATT
  • 2001 ALEX BURKETT
  • 2002 TARA LYNN
  • 2003 JOSH SPILKER
  • 2004 JACOB GRIER
  • 2005 EVAN MAYOR
  • 2006 ROBERT PROUDFOOT
  • 2007 ANNE C. MALINEE
  • 2008 GLENNA H. DeROY
  • 2009 DARCY NEWELL
  • 2010 DAVID RUTZ
  • 2011 HANNAH TWILLMAN
  • 2012 ANDREW KIRKMAN
  • 2013 ERIC SINGLE
  • 2014 NEAL COTTER
  • 2015 TYLER BISHOP
  • 2016 ALLIE GROSS
  • 2017 ALEXANDER SLAWSON
  • 2018 SARAH FRIEDMAN
  • 2019 CLAIRE BARNETT
  • 2019 CUTLER KLEIN
  • 2020 EVA DURCHHOLZ
  • 2020 RACHEL FRIEDMAN
  • 2021 JESSICA BARKER
  • 2021 SIMON GIBBS
  • 2022 CHARLOTTE MAUGER
  • 2022 RACHAEL PERROTTA
  • 2023 RACHAEL PERROTTA

THE SKIP BAYLESS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS JOURNALISM

The Skip Bayless Award for Excellence in Sports Journalism presented annually to an outstanding Vanderbilt student who exhibits a tireless work ethic and relentless commitment to truth telling in sports coverage, analysis or commentary. Awarded in honor of Skip Bayless, A&S ‘74
  • 2018 CUTLER KLEIN
  • 2019 CUTLER KLEIN
  • 2020 MAX SCHNEIDER
  • 2021 SIMON GIBBS
  • 2022 JUSTIN HERSHEY
  • 2023 BRYCE SMITH

THE WRVU NASHVILLE AWARD FOR DEDICATION TO EXCELLENCE IN RADIO BROADCASTING

The WRVU Nashville Award for Dedication to Excellence in Radio Broadcasting is presented annually to an undergraduate Vanderbilt student who is a current WRVU DJ, a member of the executive staff, and one who has shown excellence beyond expectations for their position in their dedication to WRVU either in listenership, programming, music education of the public, engineering, or financial support. This award was created by Dr. James Noble, a 1997 A&S graduate and former WRVU general manager.

  • 2007 ANNIE WEISNER
  • 2008 MELISSA RYMER
  • 2009 BECKY LOU
  • 2010 MORGAN BERNARD
  • 2011 EMILY FOSTER
  • 2012 NEAL COTTER
  • 2013 MONICA KIM
  • 2014 LOGAN WILKE
  • 2015 ZACH SHEAHY
  • 2016 ROSHAN POUDEL
  • 2017 HEATHER JACKSON
  • 2018 DYLAN DePRIEST
  • 2019 AYDEN EILMUS
  • 2020 JULIA SCHMITT
  • 2021 TAYLOR LOMAX
  • 2022 BRYNN DEMERS
  • 2023 JUNE KOLENTUS

THE JIM LEESON PRIZE

The Jim Leeson Prize will be awarded annually to the student journalist at Vanderbilt University who best exemplifies the value of fairness and impartiality in reporting. Such reporting shows respect for all parties, especially on divisive and controversial issues, and a commitment to reporting facts as clearly, honestly, and thoroughly as possible.

  • 2016 ANNA BUTRICO
  • 2017 SOPHIE JEONG
  • 2018 SARAH FRIEDMAN
  • 2019 SAM ZERN
  • 2020 EVA DURCHHOLZ
  • 2021 MIQUÉLA THORNTON
  • 2022 ZOE ABEL
  • 2023 ZOE ABEL

THE STEPHEN A. CALDWELL LEADERSHIP AWARD

The Stephen A. Caldwell Award is presented annually to an outstanding student media division leader whose performance reflects Dean Caldwell’s vision, integrity and commitment to excellence.
  • 2016 JEFF GREENBERG
  • 2017 MARY BETH SCHATZMAN
  • 2018 CECILIA CREGO
  • 2019 KATIE MEANS
  • 2020 AYDEN EILMUS
  • 2021 IMMANUAL JOHN MILTON
  • 2022 ELIZABETH HOOEY
  • 2022 KELLY MORGAN
  • 2023 RACHAEL PERROTTA

THE GEYER AWARD

The Stephen A. Caldwell Award is presented annually to an outstanding student media division leader whose performance reflects Dean Caldwell’s vision, integrity and commitment to excellence.
  • 1971 STEVEN W. JONES
  • 1972 JOHN W. FOWLER, JR.
  • 1973 A. ROSALYNNE HARTY
  • 1974 A. ROSALYNNE HARTY
  • 1975 DANIEL W. BISCHOFF
  • 1976 KURT L. SCHMALZ
  • 1977 DAVID N. BROOKS
  • 1978 DAVID J. WHITE
  • 1979 TRACY K. WILKINSON
  • 1980 PATRICK D. NUNNALLY
  • 1981 CHARLES EUCHNER
  • 1982 BRIAN J. ROSMAITA
  • 1983 RICHARD DANIELSON
  • 1984 RICHARD DANIELSON
  • 1985 CHRISTOPHER A. CRAIN
  • 1986 EDWIN T. WOOD
  • 1987 ROSSER E. NEWTON
  • 1988 BRIDGET E. KELLEY
  • 1989 JAMES W. AARON
  • 1990 DAVID J. WAKELYN
  • 1991 MARK A. WIDERMAN
  • 1992 MATTHEW V. PENDER
  • 1993 LAURA S. CREEKMORE
  • 1994 JEREMY M. BARNICLE
  • 1995 JENNIFER L. PEEBLES
  • 1996 PATRICK S. PITMAN
  • 1997 K. MORGAN FITZ
  • 1998 AMY M. DRITTLER
  • 1999 NEIL VIGDOR
  • 2014 MICHAEL GRESHKO

STUDENT MEDIA ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

  • ​2016 CUTLER KLEIN
  • 2017 CLAIRE BARNETT
  • 2018 GRACE ALLAMAN
  • 2018 BETSY GOODFRIEND
  • 2019 TAYLOR LOMAX
  • 2019 JESSICA MO
  • 2020 JESSICA BARKER
  • 2020 LAUREN PARKER
  • 2021 ZOE YARBROUGH
  • 2022 DEVIN LAYE
  • 2023 EIGEN NATHAN ESCARIO
  • 2023 JAYLAN SIMS
  • 2023 ABBEY WOODS

STUDENT MEDIA INNOVATOR

  • ​2016 MAX HERZ
  • 2016 ROBBIE WEINSTEIN
  • 2017 MEREDITH MATTLIN
  • 2018 BRIANA FRANCOIS
  • 2019 DALLAS SHATEL
  • 2020 ALEXA BUSSMAN
  • 2020 EMERY LITTLE
  • 2020 ZOE RANKIN
  • 2021 ABHINAV KRISHNAN
  • 2022 STEPHAN BELLAMY
  • 2022 MARIA MANABAT

STUDENT MEDIA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

  • 2016 VIKTORIA HALLIKÄÄR
  • 2017 CUTLER KLEIN
  • 2018 CLAIRE BARNETT
  • 2018 DALLAS SHATEL
  • 2019 ALLISON BOYCE
  • 2020 SIMON GIBBS
  • 2021 BETSY GOODFRIEND
  • 2022 KATHERINE OUNG
  • 2023 ZOE ABEL
  • 2023 AADITI LELE
  • 2023 KATHERINE OUNG
  • 2023 BRINA RATANGEE

VANDERBILT STUDENT COMMUNICATIONS HONOR

  • 2020 CHIOMA CHUKWUMA
  • 2020 MADISON HITCHCOCK
  • 2020 MIQUÉLA THORNTON
  • 2021 JULIE ABEL
  • 2021 ERIC ASEN
  • 2021 SAMUEL CURTIS
  • 2021 AYDEN EILMUS
  • 2021 OLIVIA GORDON
  • 2021 STACY HORTON
  • 2021 MADISON HITCHCOCK
  • 2021 EMERY LITTLE
  • 2021 EMMA MATTSON
  • 2021 ROZI XU
  • 2022 JESSICA BARKER
  • 2022 SOPHIE EDELMAN
  • 2022 ABHINAV KRISHNAN
  • 2022 DANIEL SAK
  • 2023 JOHN ABBOTT
  • 2023 BENEDICT BALLMAN III
  • 2023 BARRIE BARTO
  • 2023 DANIEL SAK
  • 2023 ZOE YARBROUGH