NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The head of Tennessee State University’s Department of Communications and several of his students were recently recognized by The Associated Press for best journalism in broadcast and print.

The students received five radio and television news and sports awards at the 2015-2016 Tennessee Associated Press Awards presentation held April 9 at the First Amendment Center in Nashville.

Communications chair Dr. Terry Likes won seven awards in five different categories.

Likes said the awards were a result of hard work in the department, particularly in the case of the students.

“We have been working hard for several years to implement best practices in multimedia, open our Center for Media Arts and Production and hire innovative faculty,” Likes said. “We are thrilled for our students that their hard work is paying dividends with this recognition from professional journalists.”

TSU competed against more than 200 entries from Austin Peay, Belmont, East Tennessee State University, Lipscomb University, Middle Tennessee State University, Trevecca Nazarene, UT-Chattanooga, UT-Martin, UT-Knoxville and Vanderbilt University.

TSU students who won in their respective categories are:

2^nd place – Best online sports coverage program: Cedric Beene, Micah Kennedy, Josh Walden, Paige Jefferson
2^nd place – Best inline sports program: Kierra Ewah-Washington
3^rd place – Best radio specialized topic reporting: Melody Scales
3^rd place – Best radio investigative in-depth reporting: Ryan Parham, Tierra Kimball, Marvel Wade
3^rd place – Best investigative in-depth reporting: J. Michaux

Likes won seven awards in five different categories.

Best Enterprise:
1^st place – “Truth, tabloids and trust: Declining confidence in the news media”
Best light feature story:
2^nd place – “TV catch phrases, popular culture to mainstream America”
Best serious news story:
1^st place – “Pay for play: Unionization and paying college athletes”
2^nd place – “Truth, tabloids and trust: Declining confidence in the news media:
Best sports feature:
1^st place – “Pay for play: Unionization and paying college athletes”
Best use of sound:
1^st place – “TV catch phrases, popular culture to mainstream America”
2^nd place – “Pay for play: Unionization and paying college athletes”

Department of Media Relations

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About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.