UFCJC alumna and Journalism student recognized in 2025-26 Hearst Journalism Awards Feature Writing Competition

January 21, 2026

University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) alumna Siena Duncan, B.S. Journalism 2025, and Journalism junior Alissa Gary have placed ninth and 17th, respectively, in the 2025-26 Hearst Journalism Awards Feature Writing Competition. The winners were selected from a record 162 entries from 87 schools submitted in the first writing competition of the year.

Duncan received ninth place for “The Life and Death of a Florida Abortion Clinic” featuring a 50-year retrospective of the clinic. Gary’s story, “Taming the Beast” focuses on a rodeo bull rider and the dangers and rewards of the sport. Both stories were published in the Winter 2024 Atrium Magazine, UFCJC’s narrative non-fiction publication.

UF is currently in fifth place in the Intercollegiate Writing Competition. The ranking is based on the highest combined student points after the first of four writing competitions.

The Journalism Awards Program, now in its 66th year, includes four writing, two photojournalism, two broadcast, two audio and four multimedia competitions offering up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants and stipends. Currently, there are 105 member universities of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication with accredited undergraduate journalism programs who are eligible to participate in the Hearst competitions.

Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
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