University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Radio-TV-Film students continue to win awards for their productions which aired over WRST-FM 90.3.

WRST was honored at the New York International Radio Festival’s awards ceremony on June 17, with the Bronze Award for Best Radio Documentary in the student category. It was WRST’s first-ever award from this international competition, which this year saw entries from 28 countries. The winning entry was “Homeless in Chicago,” produced by student Brian Urbanek for the Advanced Radio Production class. For the segment, Urbanek interviewed the homeless he encountered on the streets of Chicago about their plight and largely relied on their voices to tell the story.

One of the contest judges for this competition is a faculty member at Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom.  He received Urbanek’s permission to air the segment  over Degree Leader Radio, their student radio station.

Urbanek graduated from UW Oshkosh in the fall of 2012 and is now a videographer at WDJT-TV 58, the CBS affiliate in Milwaukee.

On May 18, the Milwaukee Press Club held their annual Gridiron Dinner in Milwaukee. WRST won the following awards in the organization’s statewide journalism competition:

• In the collegiate category for best radio feature, the “Homeless in Chicago” piece by Urbanek took first prize.
• Second place in this category went to WRST program director Brandon Kinnard for a feature piece he produced called “Mascots: Life Inside the Costume.” It was also produced for the Advanced Radio Production class.
• Kinnard also took first place in the collegiate category for best radio newscast for a WRST news update he presented on May 8, 2012.
• Second place in the newscast category went to a WRST effort from March 30, 2012 by station manager Spencer Wagen, with audio of that day’s visit to Oshkosh by GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich gathered by student reporter Trevor Uitenbroek and a news story on UWO’s new residence hall done by student reporter Brian Davidson.
• Third place in collegiate category for best sports story also went to Kinnard for a segment he produced previewing the football match-up between UWO and UW Whitewater.

WRST won 35 major competitive awards during the 2012-13 academic year.