Two graduates of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication won top honors in the Association of Food Journalists 2020 awards competition, which were announced recently in a streamed awards ceremony from food-enthusiastic ball parks across the country.
Molly Stellino, of Phoenix, Arizona, was awarded first place in the Best Writing on Food, Student Division, for her Cronkite News entry “Produce rescue: Nogales group feeds vulnerable communities as it fights food waste.” May 2020 Cronkite graduate, Stellino is a fact-checker at the Arizona Republic. In August, she will work as an education reporting intern at the Hechinger Report, covering higher education.
Carissa Wigginton, of Fargo, North Dakota, was awarded third place for her entry “Hatchery near Flagstaff undergoes $3.3 million in renovations to raise trout in the desert.” A May 2019 Cronkite graduate, Wigginton is a reporter for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead newspaper in Fargo.
The awards, which recognize excellence in 16 categories, received 262 entries. In addition to the student division, the categories included audio and video food coverage; business coverage; policy coverage; restaurant criticism; food coverage; food photography; newspaper food features; among others. First, second and third place honors were awarded in each category.
CiCi Williamson managed the contest. A total of 42 highly qualified judges scored the entries.
All finalists will receive awards certificates.
The Association of Food Journalists, a professional organization founded in 1971, is dedicated to preserving and perpetuating responsible food journalism across media platforms.