Two WKU students finished top 10 in the first photojournalism competition for the 2021-2022 Hearst Journalism Awards Program. 

Known as the “Pulitzer Prize of college journalism,” the Hearst program has held competitions for 62 years consisting of five writing, two photojournalism, one audio, two television and four multimedia competitions.

Sam Mallon, a senior at WKU from Maryland, placed sixth in the photojournalism features and news competition and Zane Meyer-Thornton, a senior from Los Angeles, finished seventh.

WKU is in fourth place in the photojournalism competition after the first of two contests.

Arizona State University and the University of Florida are tied for first place, followed closely by Ohio University. 

The WKU School of Media won for the fifth straight year and finished in the top five for the 12th consecutive time in the 2020-2021 Hearst competition.

The Hearst Journalism Awards Program offers roughly $700,000 in scholarships and other grants each year. With 103 universities that are eligible to participate in the competitions. 

News reporter Michael Crimmins can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @michael_crimm