The University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) annual Awards Banquet on April 20, 2024, celebrated achievements from students, faculty and staff and honored five new alumni Hall of Fame members.  To download the Awards Banquet program, click here.

2024 Hall of Fame Inductees:

• Raja Abdulrahim, B.S. Journalism 2004
• August (Augie) E. Grant, B.S. Broadcasting 1977, M.A.M.C. 1981
• Larry Meador, B.S. Public Relations 1995
• Stefanie Price Nimick, B.S. Telecommunication 1989
• Rebecca Patterson, B.S. Journalism 1990

Faculty and Staff Award winners:

• Teacher of the Year: Iman Zawahry, lecturer, Media Production, Management, and Technology (MPMT)
• Outstanding Doctoral Mentor Award: Yu-Hao Lee, associate professor, MPMT
• Adjunct Teacher of the Year: Melanie Fridl Ross, Journalism
• Faculty Mentor of the Year: Houston Wells, senior lecturer, MPMT
• Professional Advisor of the Year: Chanelle Cox
• Superior Accomplishment Award: Jessica Osegueda, UFCJC event manager

Graduate and Research Award winners:

• The Julie Dodd Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award: Eliana DuBosar
• Outstanding Master’s Student In Residence: Gwiwon (Jason) Nam
• Outstanding Online Master’s Student: Ludmilla D’Alessandro
• Outstanding Student Research Award: Chelsea E. Moss

Advertising Award winners:

• Outstanding Advertising Scholar: Reagan Lynn de La Cruz
• Joseph R. Pisani Service Award: Jackie Truong
• Robert Glafcke Award: Karen-June McEachern
• Richard W. McGinnis Professional Promise Award: Kayla Mys
• John Sutherland Great Ideas Award: Jacob Wall
• Marshall Respess Award: Freya Garcia

Journalism Award winners:

• Outstanding Journalism Scholar: Veronica Nocera
• John Paul Jones Jr. Award: Alan Halaly
• Elmer Emig Award: Kennedy Mason
• G. “Buddy” Davis Award: Silas Morgan
• Jean Chance Service Award: Isabella Douglas
• Jon Roosenraad Society of Professional Journalists Award: Jiselle Lee
• WJXT-TV Award: Christopher Will

Media Production, Management, and Technology Award winners:

• Outstanding Scholar: Alexmary Fayiga
• Major Garland Powell Award: Luigi Bencosme and Ty Capellini
• May Burton Award: Nadia Cox and Isabel Crist
• Leslie Smith Management Award: Luis Lageyre

Public Relations Award winners:

• Outstanding Public Relations Scholar: Olivia Maroney
• Frank F. Rathbun PRSSA Award: Orla McQuaid
• Charles Wellborn Service Award: Marium Abdulhussein
• Jack Detweiler Professional Promise in Public Relations Award: Rebecca Wolff
• Florida Public Relations Association Award: Shandia Lewis-Booker

Media Properties Award winners:

• Jon Quattlebaum Award: Mariana Larsen
• Ralph L. Lowenstein Broadcast News Award: Jimena Romero Guzman
• Kenneth A. Christiansen Award: Serra Sowers
• Frank Counts TV Production and Creative Services Award: Daniel Haviv
• Walter “Red” Barber Award: Bennett Solomon
• Doris Bardon Award: Ailee Shanes
• Excellence in Digital Media Award: Sandra McDonald
• Excellence in Media Leadership: Elena Bressler and Augustus Hoff
• Excellence in Multimedia Meteorology Award: Derrah Getter
• Excellence in Spanish-Language Media Award: Jose Tovar

College-Wide Student Award winners:

• Dean’s Cup for Professional Promise: Christopher Will
• Dean’s Cup for Scholarship: Alexmary Fayiga, Reagan Lynn de la Cruz, Olivia Maroney, and Veronica Nocera
• Dean’s Cup for Service: Luis Lageyre
• Ruth and Rae O. Weimer Award: Alan Halaly and Shandia Lewis-Booker

The 2024 awards were presented at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium’s Champions Club in Gainesville, Florida.

Posted: April 22, 2024
Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
Tagged as: Chanelle Cox, Houston Wells, Imana Zawahry, Jessica Osegueda, UFCJC College Awards Banquet, UFCJC Hall of Fame, Yu-Hao Lee