Hurd captures spring 2018 Finley award
Betty Hurd won the Mark Finley Gold Pen Award in the UA School of Journalism's spring 2018 best beginning news writing contest.
Trent Anderson finished second and Eva Halvax placed third after 16 students selected by their JOUR 205 instructors competed in the April 16 contest.
Hurd will receive $1,000 in scholarship money, followed by Anderson with $750 and Halvax with $500. All 16 participants will receive engraved pens.
Students had an hour to write a story after listening to a 20-minute news conference by Jim Critchley, recently retired Tucson Fire chief, followed by a 40-minute Q&A.
Professor Susan Knight and three adjunct instructors — Tom Beal, Joe Ferguson and Brett Fera — judged the competition.
The contest is named for the late Mark Finley, a UA grad who was a journalist and assistant to the publisher of Hearst's Boston newspaper for 17 years.
The three students will be honored at the School of Journalism’s Just Desserts event on May 10 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Arizona Historical Society.
Hurd is a photographer at the Arizona Daily Wildcat, where Anderson and Halvax also had work published.
Learn more about past winners.