For Immediate Release:
Dateline: Indianapolis,
IN
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
CONTACT: Matthew Kent, SPJ Program Coordinator, 317-920-4788, mkent@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to honor Katelyn Howard with the 2020 Julie Galvan Outstanding Graduate in Journalism Award. Howard is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism & Mass Communication where she was the SPJ campus chapter president. Howard hosts Here & Now, a live daily show at NPR affiliate KGOU-FM.
This award honors a journalism graduate nominated by their campus chapters and selected by the Society's leaders on the basis of character, service to the community, scholarship, proficiency in practical journalism and significant contributions to their SPJ chapter. The award is named in memory of Julie Galvan, a former president of the SPJ San Jose State University Campus Chapter, who was killed in a car accident while on her way to an internship in 1996.
As president of OU SPJ, Howard worked tirelessly to revive its attendance, host engaging and helpful programming twice a month and steadily build membership. While interning at SiriusXM Radio during the fall 2019 semester, she continued to lead the club and plan events from New York City.
“As a result, we were able to keep club attendance up, even while she was away,” said Molly Kruse, vice president of OU SPJ. “I believe this demonstrates her passion for bringing journalism resources to our campus, as well as her go-getter attitude and precision as a leader.”
Howard continued to be active during the COVID-19 pandemic, virtually holding SPJ meetings and planning events. Under her leadership OU SPJ won the Outstanding Campus Chapter Award for Region 8 in 2018-2019.
“Her efforts in forming relationships with other clubs in the college and focusing events on what students want to attend helped revive the organization into a thriving club for our students to join,” said Grace Shoop, secretary and treasurer of OU SPJ. “I also think this demonstrates her undeniable passion for bringing journalism resources and conversations to the students of our college as well as her precision and sensitivity as a leader.”
In addition to her internship at Sirius XM, Howard interned for The Journal Record in Oklahoma City and The Poteau Daily News in Poteau, Oklahoma. She freelanced for OU Daily and OU Nightly, a newspaper and broadcast TV news show written, produced and directed by students at OU. She also spent a week in Iowa to report on the 2020 Democratic caucuses.
Howard will be recognized virtually during the SPJ 2020 Journalism Conference.
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.
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