KEARNEY – University of Nebraska at Kearney students continue to rack up awards for their work with the campus radio station, KLPR 91.1 FM.
The latest honors came last week, when the Nebraska Broadcasters Association announced the winners of its annual Pinnacle Awards.
For the first time ever, KLPR received multiple awards in the competition, which was established in 1958 to recognize and encourage excellence in broadcasting and service to the community by Nebraska radio and television stations.
KLPR won the “best live sports event” and “best public service announcement” categories in the college radio division.
“These students have won awards in other competitions, but it means a lot to be named the best in your state,” said Ford Clark, general manager of KLPR and a senior lecturer in UNK’s Department of Communication.
Austin Jacobsen of Sidney and Jacob Roth of Milford earned the “best live sports event” award for their broadcast of the UNK football team’s 24-17 victory over No. 7 Northwest Missouri State last fall.
Jacobsen graduated in May with degrees in sports communication and exercise science. He currently works as a news reporter and sports broadcaster for KRVN Radio in Lexington. Roth studies sports communication at UNK.
The public service announcement – titled “Caffeine” – was a collaboration between KLPR and Peg Johnston, a senior lecturer in UNK’s Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences. Participating students were Cydney Christner of Cozad, Alana Kellen of Madison, Tiara Schmidt of McCook and Britney Manuel and Taylor Wilson, both of Omaha. Kellen graduated in May with a degree in journalism, and Wilson earned a degree in exercise science.
“What makes this award even more satisfying is students who would have never been involved in anything like this can now say they’ve won awards in broadcasting,” Clark said.
The Pinnacle Awards are usually presented during the Nebraska Broadcasters Association’s annual convention. Because of COVID-19, this year’s honors were announced Wednesday via livestream.
“Words cannot express how proud I am of these students,” Clark said. “They all worked extremely hard to earn these accolades.”
