The Hawkeye staff earn honors at SEJC

Published February 24, 2026

A group of people standing in a row smiling.

CAPTION: Pictured L-R: Johnathan Warren, Apil KC, Blade Gowen, Keith Webb, Stirling Terry, and Mae Harding

MONROE, La. – Representatives of the University of Louisiana at Monroe’s student-run newspaper, The Hawkeye, joined students from more than twenty-five universities at the recent Southeast Journalism Conference 2026, hosted by Georgia Highlands College. Keith Webb, editor-in-chief; Blade Gowen, arts and entertainment editor; Mae Harding, news editor; Stirling Terry, opinions editor; Johnathan Warren, sports editor; and Courtney Collins, assistant director, enjoyed sessions and speakers on the conference’s theme, From Front Porches to Front Pages: Storytelling in the South. 

The annual on-site competitions challenged editors with real-world tasks and tight deadlines. For the Art and Entertainment Multimedia contest, communication senior, Blade Gowen, covered a live performance of The Superstation at the opening evening’s reception. Blade won third place for his multimedia coverage. Computer science major, Apil KC photographed the Georgia Highlands vs. USC Lancaster baseball game, which earned him first place in Sports Photography. His entries in the Feature Photography category also earned first place. 

In the Best of the South 2025 competition, the weekend’s highlight, senior copywriter Emma Sullivan, a pharmacy major, earned third place as Best Opinion Writer. Chacahoula editor-in-chief Pawan Khatri, a computer science major, placed first in Best Graphic Design.  Keith Webb, an accounting major, earned the first-place award in Best Newspaper Design.   

According to Webb, a veteran of SEJC competitions, “Competing and placing at SEJC, where strangers are unbiased in judging my work, helps me to better grasp my skill in the field.  My goal is to help our team recognize that everyone else is just like us when competing.  It is our approach and skill that lead to placing.”  Webb also recognized the value of shared team experiences away from campus.   

Courtney Collins, Assistant Director of Student Publications, mirrored Webb’s sentiments and commended the group for representing ULM with excellence. She added, “It was especially wonderful to see one of our graduating seniors receive a special award for their hard work during the on-site competition. Their success was a reminder that consistent effort, late nights, and commitment truly matter—and I couldn’t be prouder of how they showed up and stood out.”   

ULM Student Publications publishes The Hawkeye in print or digital formats most Tuesdays of each semester. Students and faculty can pick up The Hawkeye on campus at the Hub, the library, and near the entrances of most academic buildings. The digital versions of The Hawkeye and of the Chacahoula, ULM’s yearbook, are available at https://ulmhawkeyeonline.com. For more information contact Courtney Collins, Assistant Director, at ccollins@ulm.edu or Whitney Martin, Director, at wmartin@ulm.edu.