Three Mass Comm Majors Win $$$ in Newseum Video Contest

Three DSU mass communications majors recently earned monetary awards for video projects that were recognized among the top six submitted in the Newseum Institute’s ‘Free Expression On Campus’ video contest.

Cierra Sutton, a sophomore from Prince George's County, Md., won a $500 award for her video submission that focused on the issue of sexuality and finding oneself. Lorren Perry and Tiana Proctor, two freshmen both from Charles County, Md., respectively, teamed together to produce a winning video that featured interviews with different DSU students and members of specific organizations to find out how the University encouraged their freedom of speech, especially with respect to tackling certain issues.

In the competition, the competing students were given an issue – such as race, gay rights, sexual assault and others. Each student or team had to demonstrate how his or her campus championed such issues while protecting freedom of speech and expression. There were more than 50 video entries submitted for the competition from large to small colleges and universities across the country.

“I learned a lot about issues that other students are facing on different campuses and that as students we need to protect our First Amendment rights,” said Ms. Proctor.

“I learned that free expression is very important and is a right all students should have,” Ms. Perry said. “I like that Delaware State has a lot of things that are student driven because it's a lot easier to talk to your peers, and if I do have a problem that needs to go to the administration, I know the administration is very welcoming about problems or issues that students face on campus.”

In addition to receiving the monetary award, the three DSU students joined the other winners for an all-expenses-paid trip to the Newseum Institute in Washington, D.C., Nov. 17-18, where the public was able to view their video and hear personally from each one of them how their works were produced.

Photography and article by Michael Brooks, DSUNews Services student intern