Indiana Daily Student Co-editor in Chief, Marissa Meador, wins the Hearst National Writing Competition, beating out seven opponents from all around the country as announced June 6, 2024. Meador and Indiana University have received $10,000 each as a recognition of her win.
The Hearst Awards are the most prestigious awards in the collegiate level. Many of the finalists and winners of the competition win Pulitzer awards later in their careers.
For the writing award, the eight finalists were asked to write two stories on a deadline. Their first assignment was to interview Leon Panetta, former secretary of defense and former CIA director. Their first article was based on the interview they conducted individually. The second story assigned was about a Bay Area tech company in Silicon Valley.
The competition in the Hearst awards is intense because the finalists are considered to be the best student journalists in the country.
Indiana University has won this award eight times in the last fifteen years, keeping its standing as one of the best journalism programs in the country. All eight winners have been IDS staff.
