A report on the struggles of Iranian asylum seekers making a new life in Australia last night won a University of Technology Sydney student the Alan Knight Award for student journalism.
Caitlin Maloney, 21, a second-year journalism student, from Marrickville, was awarded the gong at the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards in a gala event at the Sydney Theatre Company.
The awards, attended by NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Stephen Kamper, bring together multicultural media, communications and marketing, from across the state.
“[The awards are] all driven by the incredible work of our modern day storytellers, the journalists, editors and creative teams across our multicultural sector,” Kamper said, while also referring to the importance to him of his own Greek heritage.
“Tonight’s an opportunity to recognise the outstanding achievements throughout the multicultural media and marketing industry. Thank you for your motivation, drive and commitment.”
Maloney was nominated alongside fellow UTS student Leo Chau and Kushee Gupta from Indian Link. Judges described her article, ‘A decade in limbo: Shahram’s long fight for a visa‘ as stories told directly from refugees and asylum seekers voices, with a focus on highlighting new actions to assist asylum seekers.
Both Maloney and Chau, a third-year journalism-law student, spent the rest of the evening at an afterparty networking with members of the multicultural media, industry leaders and members of the state government’s Multicultural NSW.
It’s not just the quality of the work these students do, but also their commitment to journalism that improves our community as a whole and tells stories that aren’t always prominent in the daily news cycle.
Martin Newman, UTS journalism lecturer and Central News editor
“The university is very proud of both Caitlin and Leo for the work they have done to be nominated for this prestigious prize, and delighted in Caitlin’s win,” said UTS journalism lecturer and Central News editor Martin Newman.
“It’s not just the quality of the work these students do, but also their commitment to journalism that improves our community as a whole and tells stories that aren’t always prominent in the daily news cycle.”
The Alan Knight Award for student journalism was named after former UTS head of journalism Professor Alan Knight, and applies to university, TAFE and high school students. It was presented by Knight’s widow Kathy Egea, with a highly commended prize also going to year 7 high school student Manuga Bandara, 12, from Girraween, who hosted two national youth radio shows about multicultural affairs and harmony.
UTS students have a good track record at the PMCA’s in recent years, winning in 2023 and 2022, and also being highly commended in 2021.
Other winners on the night included SBS, Indian Link, Draw Your Box, Cultural Pulse, and the Australian Associated Press.
This story was originally published on Central News. Main photo by Central News.