Fordham Student Journalists Take Home Awards

The Observer, Fordham College at Lincoln Center's student newspaper, and WFUV, 90.7 FM, were recently honored by the Society of Professional Journalists for their work.

WFUV earned first place awards for the categories best all-around radio newscast and radio in-depth reporting, the latter for “NYC's Bike-Share Program” by Connor Ryan. The station also won third place in the category radio sports reporting, for "Al Michaels: Seizing the Moment” by Kyle Kesses.

The Observer took home eight mark of excellence awards, for breaking-news photography, breaking-news reporting, editorial writing, feature photography, general column writing, general news photography, general news reporting, and sports writing.

Ian McKenna, the paper's managing editor, won the general news reporting and breaking-news reporting categories for his coverage of the Fordham College Republican's Ann Coulter speaking invitation and revocation. McKenna shared the editorial writing award with Opinions Editor Monique John and Editor-in-Chief Harry Huggins.

McKenna, a sophomore who will take over as editor in chief next year, said the staff's embrace of online journalism was a factor in paper's success.

"We haven’t been waiting for the two week cycle to print things. Harry Huggins really pushed us to join everyone in the 21st century. So I think that really riled everyone up to do their best work and more frequent work, because the more work you do, the better it works," he said.

Photography was another area where the paper excelled, with Tavy Wu, Weiyu Li, and Charlie Puente winning honors for breaking news, feature, and general news photography, respectively. Like McKenna's Ann Coulter story, Wu's picture of Riverside Park during Hurricane Sandy was published on short notice.

"We didn’t force him to go, because that would be unsafe. He decided to take it upon himself to get a picture," said McKenna.

"So in that way it was sort of related to our breaking news protocol, but also, we have a really great photo advisor who edits for Bloomberg, so I think that influence, along with this influx of new people really helped us." 

He also credited paper's advisor, Elizabeth Stone, Ph.D., professor of English, with helping make it a winning year.

"Dr. Stone was very supportive in editing and tailoring our articles. Without her push for both online and good journamislm, we wouldn’t be here," he said.

—Patrick Verel

Double Alum Honored for Work with Student Press

Adam Goldstein (FCLC '99, LAW '02), attorney advocate at the Student Law Center, is being spotlighted as one of "10 individuals who have mattered most to college media over the past academic year," by College Media Matters.

"If you are a college administrator who likes to grind kids under your boot, Adam Goldstein is your worst nightmare," says Frank LoMonte. "He is a ferocious and relentless advocate, and if you try to argue with him, he will quickly expose you for a fool. Adam will admit that he’s a bit of a scary-looking guy– it doesn’t help that he dresses head-to-toe in black every day– but you have nothing to fear from him unless you’re intentionally hurting kids."

Goldstein is a former editor-in-chief of The Observer, and worked as a freelance producer and editor for FoxNews.com for three years.

Funeral Arrangements Set for Student Journalist

Updated Tuesday, July 21, 2009, 11:22 a.m.

The viewing for Casey A. Feldman will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, July 22, at West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 215 Belmont Avenue, Bala Cynwyd, Pa. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, July 23, also at West Laurel Hill Cemetery.

A limited number of free Ram Vans to the viewing and funeral will depart from the Lincoln Center campus at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, and at 7 a.m. on Thursday, and will return to campus after the services conclude. Members of the University community who wish to reserve a space should contact the Office of Student Affairs, Lowenstein 408, at (212) 636-6250 or deanofsalc@fordham.edu.

For those who cannot attend the funeral, the service will be streamed live online beginning at 10 a.m. at: www.forever-care.com.

Contributions in Feldman’s name can be made to the Springfield High School Student Theater Workshop, 49 West Leamy Ave., Springfield, PA 19064.

Casey A. Feldman, 1988 - 2009

Casey A. Feldman, 21, a senior at Fordham College at Lincoln Center, was struck by a car on Friday, July 17, in Ocean City, N.J., and died of her injuries later that evening at Atlantic City Medical Center. Casey was the news editor of The Observer, the Lincoln Center student newspaper. She lived in a Philadelphia suburb with her family, and was working at a summer job in Ocean City.

This memorial page is open to Casey's family, friends, classmates and the Fordham faculty and staff who knew her. Feel free to post your memories about Casey in the comments section, or e-mail them to:
howe@fordham.edu, along with any images you'd like to share.

The Lincoln Center student newspaper, The Observer, also has an article online with links to Casey's work, and will shortly include a picture gallery: The Observer Mourns the Loss of Its News Editor.

You can view the University's official statement on the home page: Fordham Mourns Loss of Student Journalist.

Casey was an exceptionally talented news reporter and editor—an inquisitive, dogged and thorough perfectionist. I'd known Casey since she was a freshman and it had been very gratifying to watch her grow. Her news reporting and editing won quite a few awards for The Observer, and she herself had recently been recognized as well—as a finalist in a contest for college reporters who write about religious issues. Casey's death is really a terrible loss to The Observer and to Fordham.
Elizabeth Stone, Ph.D., professor of English and communication and media studies, and faculty adviser to The Observer

Photo by Craig Calefate/Courtesy of The Fordham Observer