2011 Keating finalists and winners receive $5,500
The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation awarded $5,500 in prizes the weekend of Nov. 11-12, 2011, to Indiana college students studying journalism. The prizes included cash awards for the top three winners of the 25th Annual Thomas R. Keating Feature Writing Contest, which is sponsored by the press club.
The 2011 Keating competition featured 10 finalists representing Indiana’s best college journalism students.
Lauren Sedam of Indiana University won first place and $2,500 prize money for her feature story.
Finishing in second and earning $1,250 was Michael Auslen, and Danielle Paquette won third place and $750. Both Auslen and Paquette are Indiana University students. Each Keating finalist also received $100 for being a top 10 finisher.
Winners received their awards and cash prizes at the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s dinner Nov. 12 at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis.
The 2011 Keating finalists – chosen from 35 entrants – were Claire Aronson, Michael Auslen, Elizabeth “Biz” Carson, Margaret Ely, Lindsey Erdody, Sean Morrison, Danielle Paquette, Lauren Sedam and MaryJane Slaby all from Indiana University and Lindsey Gelwicks from Ball State University.
Indianapolis Star columnist Erika D. Smith was the guest speaker.
The writing contest is named in honor of Tom Keating, a popular former Indianapolis Star columnist and Lilly Endowment executive who died in 1985 at the age of 45.
To date, the Foundation has given deserving Indiana college students more than $210,000 to help them further their educations. No other journalism organization in the state provides more financial support for aspiring journalists than the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation.
The Indiana State Museum and Eiteljorg Museum were the sites for the Keating program’s 2011 Writing Challenge. Keating finalists were dropped off at the museums at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and given four hours to develop and write a feature story. The Indianapolis Star provided space in its newsroom for the finalists to craft their stories.
Each Keating finalist also received a copy of the reprinted book Indiana Faces and Other Places, a collection of Keating’s work for The Star from 1966-1982.
Since its inception in 1986, the Keating program has donated more than $110,000 to Indiana college and university students. The IPCF also funds other scholarships in support of Indiana students pursuing writing-related studies. In addition to the Keating Competition each November, the IPCF hosts The Last Row Party on Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a major fundraiser.
IU's Rachel Stark wins 2010 Keating competition
Rachel Stark of Indiana University won first place and $2,500 prize money for her winning story in the 24th Annual Thomas R. Keating Feature Writing Contest, which was completed Nov. 13, 2010.
Finishing in second and earning $1,250 was IU’s CJ Lotz and Christine DiGangi of DePauw University earned third place and $750.
Winners received their awards on Nov. 13 at the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s annual dinner at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis – a fundraiser that supports the Keating competition and other IPCF scholarship programs for Indiana college journalism students.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tom French was the guest speaker. Borshoff, Franklin College, Lilly Endowment Inc., Indiana University and IUPUI helped underwrite the weekend’s events and annual dinner.
The 2010 Keating finalists – chosen from 48 entrants – were: Christine DiGangi and Andrew Maddocks, DePauw University; Brittany Brownrigg, Renee Bruck and Julie Crothers, Franklin College; Elizabeth “Biz” Carson, Caitlin Johnston, C.J. Lotz, Sean Morrison, Charlie Scudder, Rachel Stark and Avi Zaleon, Indiana University.
The Bands of America Grand National Championships at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium was the site and subject matter for the Keating program’s 2010 Writing Challenge.
2010 Keating winners, scholarship recipients receive $13,700
DePauw senior wins 2009 Keating competition
Margaret Sutherlin, a senior at DePauw University, won the 23rd Annual Thomas R. Keating Feature Writing Program in Indianapolis on Nov. 14, 2009. The annual contest, sponsored by the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation, features 10 finalists representing Indiana's best college journalism students.
Sutherlin received $2,500 in prize money for her first-place story. Sarah Hutchins of Indiana University placed second and received $1,250. Lana Kunz of the University of Southern Indiana was third and received $750
Margaret Sutherlin won top place in the 2009 Keating Feature Writing Contest. Click here to see Sutherlin's story.
The site and subject matter for this year's competition was the Percussive Arts Society International Convention at the Indiana Convention Center.
The other finalists, who were chosen from a record 61 entrants representing more than 10 Indiana colleges, were: Amanda Junk, Ball State University; Travis Braun, Franklin College; and Natalie Avon, Lauren Clason, Stephanie Doctrow, Sean Morrison and John Seasly, all of Indiana University. Braun was the first three-time finalist in the competition's history. He finished second in 2007 and 2008.
New York Times White House Correspondent Jeff Zeleny (at right) spoke to an audience of about 75, including the Keating finalists as well as several scholarship winners. He encouraged students that while journalism is changing the essence of it remains the same -- talented reporters are still needed to go out to find and write good stories.
The Keating awards were presented during the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s annual dinner at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis, a fundraiser supporting the Keating competition and other IPCF scholarship programs for Indiana college journalism students.
