Reno Reporter

The University of Nevada, Reno has announced that four students from its Reynolds School of Journalism earned five awards at the Hearst Journalism Awards Program.

According to the university's May 2 news release, it was the most accolades that the school has ever received in the competition in a single academic year with Andrew Mendez, Bryan Hofmann, Jarrette Werk and Kennedy Vincent being recognized for their submitted work.

Mendez has won four Hearst awards since coming to the university in 2019 and recently won with a piece that he produced with NPR Next Generation Bootcamp, a program that partners students with professionals in the realm of journalism, according to the university.  

“Being a part of NPR's Next Generation Bootcamp last year was amazing and gave me the opportunity to produce work in both English and Spanish,” Mendez said in the news release. “It was an amazing experience to have been a part of that program, but knowing the work I produced is award-winning is amazing.”

The university reported that Hofmann brought home a $1,500 award for winning third place with a video series concerning the Caldor Fire that ravaged Northern California last year.

“The public’s support and interactions with me, being allowed to check on their property [as] part of the media, drove me to stay out there and produce several videos driving through neighborhoods, giving updates and answering questions,” Hofmann said in the release.

Hoffmann said that he has honed his skills at the school and learned new techniques about how to engage viewers with stories that they are passionate about.