Loyola Marymount University students and faculty garnered seven honors, including a first-place award, at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 15th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. The awards recognize the best and brightest in entertainment media and were presented on Dec. 4, 2022, during a gala at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.
Sophia Villamor ’22 won first place in the Best Commentary/Critique student media category for “Harry Styles’ ‘Pleasing’ and the Authenticity of Celebrity Brands.” Her essay is a think piece on the trend of celebrity brands and endorsements using Harry Styles’ “Pleasing” as an example.
The press club judges noted that “Villamor produces a great analysis of superstar Harry Styles’ brand, which is different from the ‘usual suspects’ in celebrity marketing.”
Other winners in the student media category include Jordan Moses ’24 who won second for Best Arts or Entertainment Feature with “How Paul Radecki and LGBT Russians Fought Censorship and Won.” Shei Marcelline ’22 earned third place for her Arts or Entertainment Profile on “Cami Arboles: Pole Dancing, Teaching SZA, & Manifestation.”
“Our students continue to distinguish themselves by thinking critically and creatively about timely topics and producing pieces that resonate with passion and purpose,” said Evelyn McDonnell, professor of journalism.
McDonnell placed second in the Pandemic Reporting, Entertainment Subject category for her L.A. Times piece “Grounded by COVID, Patti Smith joined Substack and Instagram. But nothing replaced playing live.” She also won third prize for her Obituary/In Appreciation piece “Patricia Kennealy-Morrison, rock journalist, author and partner of Jim Morrison, dies at 75.”
Ky Henderson, visiting assistant professor journalism, won second place for his TV Personality Profile “Cole Hauser on His Tumultuous Early Life, Yellowstone, and Being a Real-Life Badass.” Kristin Marguerite Doidge, senior lecturer of journalism and PR, took home third place in the Non-Fiction Book category for “Nora Ephron: A Biography.”
The full list of winners can be viewed here.