TCC students win big at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association awards

Tarrant County College students won multiple awards at the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) competition in late March.

Scripts, the literary magazine written by students at TCC South, won first place for best cover design for literary magazines, third place for overall literary magazine excellence and honorable mention for overall design in the literary magazine category. Logen Cure, instructor of English at TCC South, serves as an advisor for the publication.

The Collegian, TCC’s student-led newspaper, won a total of 15 TIPA awards, including first place for designer of the year, static ad design and overall web design.

“Once again, we’re lucky to have such great students at The Collegian,” said Christopher Whitley, director of students publications for TCC. “I’m particularly proud of Christa Jarvis, who was named the best designer out of all the two-year schools in the state. Christa and the others on staff work long hours to produce a paper that the TCC community can be proud of. I’m glad to see they’re getting recognized for it.”

Here’s a list of The Collegian’s winning entries:

  • First Place – Designer of the Year: Two-Year Schools: Christa Jarvis
  • First Place – Static Ad Design: The Collegian
  • First Place – Overall Design – Web: TheCollegian.com
  • Second Place – Feature Photo: “Tour Explores Black History” by Joseph Serrata
  • Second Place – Overall Design – Newspaper
  • Third Place – Narrative Reporting: “LatinX Label Defaces Cultural Uniqueness” by Juan Ibarra
  • Third Place – Overall Excellence: The Collegian
  • Third Place – Photo Illustration: “Smoke Screen” by Johnathan Johnson
  • Third Place – Sports Column: “Repealed NCAA Rule in Racist, Unnecessary” by Victor Allison
  • Third Place – Website: TheCollegian.com
  • Honorable Mention – Breaking News: “TCC Bond Gets Greenlight for Renovations” by Juan Ibarra
  • Honorable Mention – Narrative Reporting: “Student Runs for Mayor” by JW McNay
  • Honorable Mention – Environmental Portrait: “25 Years Later: Rwanda” by Joseph Serrata
  • Honorable Mention – Cover Design – Newspaper: “Smoke Screen” by Christa Jarvis
  • Honorable Mention – Feature Page/Spread Design: “The Great Chicken Sandwich Debate” by Christa Jarvis

TIPA is the oldest collegiate media organization in the country. It consists of 77 public and private two-year colleges and four-year universities in Texas that teach journalism or have existing or planned student publications. The annual awards honor excellence in student media.

The event, originally scheduled to take place in Corpus Christi from March 25-28, was canceled due to growing concerns over COVID-19. However, competition for previously-published content (from 2019) took place virtually.