Alex Kormann offered a warning to his dining companions at the Westin St. Francis in San Francisco: “I think I’m going to throw up.”
Kormann, a recent graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was eagerly awaiting the photojournalism judges’ decisions at the Hearst Journalism Awards Program’s National Championship dinner in June.
Across the table, his classmate Darian Woehr, a multimedia contestant, was riding her own rollercoaster of emotions. “I knew that I had put in my best effort to create a powerful film in a short period of time, and I wanted to hear that the judges thought my best was good enough to win,” Woehr said.
As the results were announced, Kormann and Woehr were overcome with joy. They each received a first-place award and a $10,000 scholarship in the prestigious competition.
“When I realized that I had won, I couldn't believe it,” Woehr said. “Everything kind of happened in slow motion and I started to tear up. I think most of the tears came from happiness, but part came from knowing that I was officially done now. My body could finally process the stress, exhaustion and excitement of the week.”
The Hearst Journalism Awards Program is often referred to as the “Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.” Randolph A. Hearst, son of William Randolph Hearst, founded the program in 1960. The goal of the program is to support journalism education and to provide financial assistance and encouragement to students entering the profession, according to Jan Watten, the program director for the past 33 years. Funded by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, the budget allocates $700,000 annually for stipends, awards and scholarships. Canon and Nikon provide equipment to the students during the finals in San Francisco.
“For 60 years, the Hearst Journalism Awards have represented the very best of intercollegiate journalism,” said Christopher Callahan, dean of Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communication and chair of the Hearst Journalism Awards Steering Committee. “The Hearst Awards not only honor the best and brightest young journalists across the country, but they continue to raise the level of journalism in all of our journalism schools.”
“And for more than half of those 60 years, Jan Watten has been the heart and soul of the Hearst Journalism Awards,” Callahan said. “Jan’s extraordinary commitment to intercollegiate journalism through the Hearst Awards has made all of our schools – and students – better. Her impact is truly immeasurable.”
Times were different in 1970 when John R. Fulton Jr., a student at Indiana University, submitted his portfolio to become the first winner of the photojournalism championship.
When the award was announced nearly 50 years ago, Fulton was an intern at the Grand Rapids Press and lived in a modest apartment without a telephone. “I got a knock on the door in the evening,” Fulton said. “A man delivered a Western Union telegram informing me I’d won the contest.” The telegram, signed by Bob Gilka, Rich Clarkson and Sam Pierson, asked Fulton to call the next day. “When Bob and Rich asked you to call, you called,” Fulton added. His first-place recognition was a $1,000 prize.
In 1970 Fulton’s goals were to take photographs and be a photojournalist. “The Hearst contest was the final boost I needed as I was getting out of college,” he said. “I am stunned that it’s been 50 years. I'm still out taking pictures every day - for me,” Fulton said.
“I won the Hearst in the easy era,” Fulton said. “I’m not saying it was easy to win, but it was easy to enter. I won with a portfolio that was submitted ahead of time. They didn’t have a photojournalism shoot-off yet.”
This past June, six photojournalism finalists and five multimedia finalists emerged from the monthly contests and were invited to the championships in San Francisco to compete for top honors. Joined by the writing, radio and television finalists, each group was challenged to demonstrate their skills with on-the-spot assignments selected by the judges.
The photojournalism finalists were assigned a picture story with the theme “The 99%: Housing, Healthcare, Community” and to capture a single image representing “Pride and Passion.” The multimedia contestants were challenged to create a film that told the story of “How a multicultural Bay Area reflects its richness.”
For Danese Kenon, a first-year multimedia judge and the director of video and photography at the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Hearst Foundation’s commitment to rising journalists is impressive.
“The financial investment they made in the students was incredible, unlike anything I have ever seen. The competition was a real opportunity for the students to come away with a portfolio piece, build a network, and get edited from industry professionals,” she said. “As someone who is looking to hire the next generation of storytellers, I was extremely pleased with the talent in the room.”
Hearst judges commit to a three-year term and rotate annually. Luis Rios, the director of photography at the San Antonio Express-News and a first-year photojournalism judge, echoed Kenon’s sentiments. “The foundation’s dedication to recognizing and more importantly rewarding the finest student talent is unparalleled among collegiate programs,” Rios said.
Professor Patrick Davison teaches video and documentary multimedia storytelling at UNC Chapel Hill and uses the competition to inspire his students. “The Hearst is such an important and influential program. Because we have been fortunate to have some sustained success, younger students see what the competition has meant for the winners, and it serves as a positive example of what is possible with the right motivation and dedication.”
Seeing Kormann and Woehr win the top awards, and their classmate Abby Cantrell receive a $5,000 third-place multimedia finish, made it a special night for Davison.
“They are all wonderful people as well as talented journalists so I was filled with joy at their recognition and what that can mean for their careers and their lives. I can’t wait to see where this takes them.”
Director Watten takes pride in the friendships that develop during the championships. “The week is competitive, but when the students arrive in San Francisco they discover they are all in the same boat. Camaraderie takes place. They receive mentoring from the judges. They help each other with editing. It’s not just about winning the award – it is about the experience and connecting with their peers and the judges.”
The challenge was emotional for Kormann. “I was excited when I first heard I had made it into the championship, then very anxious after receiving the topic for the contest. Once I landed in San Francisco and met my fellow photographers, who I am now great friends with, my anxiety disappeared.”
“I remained cool and calm until those final moments before the judges got up there. At that point for some reason, my heart started racing and I was overcome with excitement. Everyone around me was so talented. I knew that anyone could take home the top prize.”
Kormann’s nervous stomach was honest. “I did indeed feel like I may throw up, all the emotions were so overwhelming. When they announced I had won best single image, I was really excited. Then they brought me right back up for best portfolio and I was in shock. When they finally awarded me first place, I couldn't stop smiling.”
Surrounded by his classmates Woehr and Cantrell, his professor Davison and Susan King, the dean of the UNC School of Media and Journalism, Kormann began to cry. His tears were genuine.
“My thoughts fixated on my father, Russ, who passed away in 2014 when I was a senior in high school. He was the reason I started photography, and I've dedicated my career to him ever since. In that moment I could feel him beaming down on me as I sat there, finally having accomplished one of my dreams.” ■
Mark Morris is the former director of photography at The Sacramento Bee and a three-year Hearst multimedia judge.
2019 Hearst National Championship Winners
PHOTOJOURNALISM
First Place
Alex Kormann
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
$10,000
Second Place
Josie Norris
Central Michigan
University
$7,500
Third Place
James Wooldridge
University of
Nebraska-Lincoln
$5,000
MULTIMEDIA
First Place
Darian Woehr
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
$10,000
Second Place
Skyler Ballard
Western Kentucky University
$7,500
Third Place
Abby Cantrell
University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
$5,000
