Five students from the Reynolds School of Journalism placed in the 66th annual Hearst Journalism Awards Program, a national competition that recognizes outstanding work by college journalists. 

Students Ally Larkin, Nick Stewart, Mariel Day, Eric Chernaev and Alin Beane were recognized for work produced across student media, public radio, and multimedia storytelling platforms. Their projects explored topics including college athletics, Nevada housing affordability, food assistance, LGBTQ+ rodeo culture and the long-term health risks associated with football.

Larkin placed ninth in the Sports Writing Competition for her story, "Is Selfishness Over School Pride a New Reality for College Athletes?" published by the Reynolds Sandbox. The story examines how name, image and likeness deals and the transfer portal are changing college athletics, including at the University of Nevada, Reno.

"My professors and peers pushed me out of my comfort zone to get better with each story and each interview," Larkin said. "They helped me further my skills and provided so much support. Everyone inside the building was so welcoming and was always ready to help in any way I could have needed."

Stewart placed in the top 20 in the photo competition for a photo essay created for The Nevada Independent. His submission documented the World Gay Rodeo Finals at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center in October. The photo essay captured the competition while highlighting the culture and history of gay rodeos, which trace their origins back to Reno.

Day placed in the top 20 in the audio competition for two stories produced through KUNR Public Radio. Her first story, "Gen Zs can't afford to move out," reported on the financial challenges young Nevadans face as housing costs make independent living increasingly difficult. Her second story, "Partial SNAP disbursement leaves thousands of households without benefits," covered how reduced food assistance affected Nevada households during the federal government shutdown.

Chernaev and Beane both placed in the multimedia innovative journalism competition for projects created as part of the Reynolds School's motion graphics class. Their stories were also published through the Reynolds School's Hitchcock Project for Visualizing Science.

Beane placed 15th for his multimedia project, "The Grass is Greener: Why NFL Stadiums Should Avoid Artificial Turf." The story examines how artificial turf can contribute to injuries for NFL players, including ACL tears and knee and ankle injuries.

Chernaev placed 18th for his multimedia project, "The Hidden Risks of Football Hits: Understanding CTE," which explains chronic traumatic encephalopathy and the long-term risks linked to repeated head impacts in football.

Chernaev said the recognition reflects the support and collaboration he experienced at the Reynolds School.

"This award is something I wouldn't have been able to achieve without the outstanding support of my professors and peers at the RSJ. The collaboration has helped me become a top student and achieve my journalistic goals," said Chernaev.

Together, the five students' placements reflect the range of reporting, visual storytelling, and multimedia work produced by Reynolds School students across local, regional, and national platforms.