Emporia State senior Ariel Cooley of Osawatomie was named Journalist of the Year among four-year schools at the Kansas Collegiate Media Conference last week in Wichita. The award is the top individual honor given by KCM, and recognizes “journalists who have contributed the most to their staffs and collegiate journalism in Kansas during the academic year.”
Cooley is editor-in-chief of the campus newspaper, the Bulletin. She was nominated for the award by her publications adviser, Max McCoy, a veteran newsman and associate professor of journalism.
“Ariel is the best student journalist an adviser could hope for,” McCoy said. “She’s smart, hard-working, compassionate, fiscally conservative, and builds consensus in the newsroom. She’s a good writer, is committed to accuracy, and she takes the Bulletin’s role as the campus watchdog seriously. She’s calm during a crisis, energetic while gathering news, and passionate about making a difference in the world.”
The award came with a cash prize of $250, provided by the yearbook company, Josten’s.
Cooley is graduating in May from ESU with a bachelor of arts degree in English and a minor in journalism.