Every year, Reynolds School students, faculty and staff come together to celebrate the accomplishments of students and faculty at the annual Savitt Awards Banquet. And this year’s event was a night to remember, with many laughs and some sage words of wisdom.

As attendees settled into their seats, Dean Al Stavitsky opened the event thanking the late Ella Savitt for providing the endowment that funds the celebration. Ella Savitt and her husband Sol were longtime patrons of the University of Nevada, Reno’s journalism program and supported several scholarships, graduate assistantships and facilities for the school in addition to the dinner. A special thank you was also extended to the Reverend Jackie Leonard whose generous and enthusiastic support of this event makes it all possible.

Guests then enjoyed a meal and mingled with their families, friends, classmates and professors. As the dinner began to wind down, Dean Stavitsky honored more than 50 scholarship recipients thanks to the generous contributions of donors. Shortly thereafter, Professor Patrick File began the individual recognition of students who were inducted into Kappa Tau Alpha, the Reynolds School’s student honors society. Dean Stavitsky then recognized Miguel Arucan, December 2017, and Natalie G. Van Hoozer, May 2018, as the Senior Scholars for the 2017-2018 academic year.

The most anticipated part of the evening was the outstanding student awards. These awards are given annually to students for excellence in the following fields: advertising, electronic media, new media, news, public relations, strategic communications, visual journalism, business journalism, graduate student, writing, best-published article and First Amendment.

Below is a list of all the students who were recognized at the dinner.

• Kappa Tau Alpha Inductees: Adrianna Barich, Kaitlin Buckley, Katie Grinsell, Janay Hagans, Janessa Holman, Sarah Lambert, Emily Macdiarmid, Austin Morriss, Caitlin Pupich, Madeline Purdue and Jessie Schirrick.
• Senior Scholars: Miguel Arucan, December 2017, and Natalie Van Hoozer, May 2018.
• Nevada Semenza Christian Teaching Award: Ben Birkinbine, assistant professor of Media Studies.
• Outstanding Student Awards:
  • Adrianna Owens, Marilyn Newton Outstanding Student in Visual Journalism
  • Caroline Ackerman, Outstanding Student in Public Relations
  • Emily Fisher, Reynolds Outstanding Student in Business Journalism
  • Jacob Solis, Doris Sinofsky Outstanding Electronic Media Student
  • Karolina Rivas, Steve Martarano Best Published Article Award
  • Robyn Feinberg, Robert Laxalt Distinguished Writer
  • Caroline Boorman, AAF Reno Outstanding Strategic Communications Student
  • Hannah Jackson, Lerude First Amendment Award
  • Ruben Kimmelman, Outstanding Graduate Student
  • Dominique DiPietro, James Fasules Outstanding Student in Advertising
  • Madeline Purdue, Kieste Janulis Outstanding News Student
  • Jordan Berns, Outstanding Student in New Media

The faculty and staff of the Reynolds School of Journalism would like to extend the sincerest thank you to all who attended and made this event possible. For more information about the Reynolds School of Journalism undergraduate and graduate programs, visit journalism.unr.edu.