Ranger awards honors valuable sources

Dr. Jessica Howard squealed with joy when her name was announced at today’s end of the semester Source Awards presented by the staff of The Ranger.

“This is my first one,” the vice president of academic affairs said as she stepped forward to collect her Patience is a Virtue award in the newsroom of The Ranger in Loftin Student Center.

Source Awards recognize sources throughout the college and district who have been interviewed by journalism students in completing story assignments for the college newspaper.

Over coffee, juice, pastries and fruit, guests and students chatted animatedly while waiting for the big announcements.

Each semester, student editors, reporters and photographers nominate sources who have been most helpful in training them as journalists. Awards were presented in 13 categories.

Howard’s award, Patience is a Virtue, honors a source who responds politely and efficiently no matter how many repeated requests keep the phone ringing.

President Robert Zeigler and psychology Chair Thomas Billimek earned honorable mention in the Patience is a Virtue category.

Nominees included John Strybos, associate vice chancellor of facilities; David Mrizek, vice president of college services; mortuary science Professor Mary Mena; architecture Instructor Dwayne Bohuslav; fine arts Chair Jeff Hunt; David Wood, director of institutional research; mortuary science Chair Felix Gonzales; Tim Rockey, dean of continuing education training network; registered nurse Paula Daggett; student development Professor Dehlia Wallis; student life secretary Mary Schlabig; Mark Bigelow, assistant coordinator of leadership and activities; Staff Council; and English Instructor Richard Farias.

The Informant honors a source who always has the answer a Ranger reporter is searching for. This spring that was English Professor Mike Burton.

 Honorable mention was awarded to continuing education specialist Abby Gonzalez and public information officer Julie Cooper.

Nominees included Mena; psychology Professor Karen Douglas; criminal justice Adjunct Dexter Gilford; Counselor Steve Samet; English Professor Jane Focht-Hansen; student activities specialist Carrie Hernandez; and Eddie Cruz, district ethics and compliance officer.

Mortuary science Chair Felix Gonzales took the Mother Hen Award, which recognizes a source for nurturing a new reporter on a first beat.

Honorable mention was presented to Hunt.

Nominees included Librarian Eileen Oliver and Lillian Martinez, president of the Mexican-American Engineers and Scientists and a civil engineering sophomore.

Librarian Stephen Dingman earned the Big Tipper Award, which recognizes a source who consistently provides news tips on a wide range of topics.

Honorable mention went to KSYM’s morning show “The Sauce” and host James “Hot Mustard” Velten.

Nominees included Samet and Gonzales; Librarian Celita DeArmond; and Counselor Leticia Rashid.

Defender of a Free Press honors a source who personifies First Amendment rights or who literally defends The Ranger’s right to publish and operate independently.

Zeigler, for whom the award was created, collected the award once more.

Honorable mention was presented to Dr. Robert Vela, vice president of student affairs, and KSYM program director Charlie Castleman.

Nominees included “The Sauce” and Velten; Samet; Dingman; Billimek; this college’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors; and English Professor Alex Bernal.

Focht-Hansen’s continual support and encouragement for Ranger reporters was rewarded with the Booster Club Award. Recipients of this award can be relied on to refer new students or share news tips and words of support via letter, phone, email or visits to the newsroom.

Samet and Vela were awarded honorable mention.

Nominees included Dingman; AAUP; DeArmond; “The Sauce” and Velten; and Jerry Townsend, chair of the Adjunct Faculty Council and media communications full-time adjunct.