Journalism students earn ‘College Emmy’ for timely piece on climate change in Brazil

Nine Journalism students from Central Connecticut State University and their advisor have earned a Crystal Pillar Award, also known as the “College Emmy,” from the New England Emmy Division of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 

The group received the award during the June 10 New England Emmy Awards ceremony in Boston.

Central won first place in the College/University-Magazine Program category for its half-hour digital news-magazine piece titled “Project Brazil: Reporting Climate Change” by students Savanna Yelling, Ryan Hayes, Eary Banushi, Aniya Pouncey, Maria Caceras, Jayden Klaus, Madison Musco, and Daschall Hayes. 

The students traveled to Brazil in May as part of the study-abroad course JRN-450: Brazil and Brazilians: Exploring History, Culture, and Climate Change in Bahia, Rio De Janeiro, and Connecticut. Darren Sweeney, an Associate Professor of Journalism at Central served as the team’s production advisor. History faculty members Mary Ann Mahony and Juan Coronado traveled with the group as translators and logistics support.

Vivian Martin, chair of the Journalism Department at Central, explained, “We use study-abroad opportunities to give students the chance to gain international reporting experience, which greatly enhances their skills and opens doors for future internships and employment opportunities.”

The Crystal Pillar Awards celebrate excellence in student media production and highlight outstanding work in fields such as news, entertainment, cultural, and educational achievements. These awards recognize the remarkable work of college and high school students in the areas of media and journalism.

In “Project Brazil,” students visit the rainforest and meet with experts on the ground, while exploring the culture of Brazil to see how the locals are coping with and working to combat the side effects of climate change. View it online at https://www.ccsujournalism.com/brazil/.

Sweeney says, “Taking nine students to Brazil to shoot a news magazine on location in the rainforest was a huge undertaking. But the students were fully committed, and we had incredible support from the history professors on the trip and our Center for International Education. Shooting in the rainforest was grueling at times—with intense heat and mosquitoes—but the student reporters were determined, conducting interviews and recording their segments on location.”

He continued, “In the end, we created a piece we felt was worthy of entering into such a prestigious contest. We’re also proud to contribute to the global conversation on climate change, an issue that impacts all of us.”