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Dilmore, others garner awards at O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference
Four members of the Holmes Community College Growl student newspaper attended the 17th Annual O.C. McDavid Journalism Conference at the Mississippi Children's Museum on Thursday, March 24. Growl Editor Joshua Dilmore, a sophomore on the Ridgeland Campus, was recognized during the conference for winning a third place award in the Better Newspaper Contest for one of his opinion pieces, "Starbucks' supposed War on Christmas."
Dilmore, an English major, is also president of iCreate: Creative Arts Club, a tutor at the campus Writing Center, and recently won both a first and second place award in the 2016 Literary Contest.
Other Growl reporters in attendance were Miranda Burchfield, a sophomore from the Goodman Cam… pus, Wontavius Rimpson, also a sophomore from the Goodman Campus, and Taylor Vance, a sophomore from the Grenada Campus. District Director of Communications Steve Diffey and Public Relations Specialist/Student Publications Coordinator Mary Margaret Turner accompanied the students. The Growl, published five-six times per academic year, covers news from the college's nine-district area, while also including cartoons, editorials on current events, and more. Staff members also serve as writers/cartoonists for Holmes' new blog, the HCC Grid.
The conference began with a welcome by James Prince, III, president and publisher of Prince Newspapers, followed by an address from Gene McDavid, representing the McDavid family, and a presentation by Rick Anderson, a professional artist. R.J. Morgan, executive director of Mississippi Press Scholastic Association, gave a presentation on the use of drones to gather news, and following that, Sam Hall, Geoff Pender, Kate Royals, and Mollie Bryant from The Clarion-Ledger presented a panel on investigative journalism. The conference concluded with a few words from Mississippi Press Association Executive Director Lane Bruce and the presentation of awards for the Better Newspaper Contest Student Division. For more information about Holmes Community College's student publications, contact Mary Margaret Turner at (601) 605-3376 or mturner@holmescc.edu.
IN THE PHOTO: (Left to right) Growl Editor Joshua Dilmore, a sophomore on the Ridgeland Campus, with Lane Bruce, executive director of Mississippi Press Association, after Dilmore received an award in the Better Newspaper Contest Awards Presentation.