Two CM Life editors place in Hearst writing competition

Two Central Michigan Life editors have been nationally recognized by the Hearst Foundation.

Online editor Brian Manzullo and Sports Editor Dan Monson each placed for “Personality/Profile Writing” in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program, which recognizes excellence in collegiate journalism. With more than 106 entries from 61 schools submitted to the competition, each student placed in the top 20.

Monson took 14th place for his story “Hidden Pain,” about a basketball player who has lived through the hardships of his father’s murder. The story published on Feb. 13. Manzullo tied for 18th place for “A Passer’s Perseverance,” which told the story of senior quarterback Brian Brunner’s chance at the spotlight and how he has coped with becoming a second-string athlete. The story published Sept. 18, 2008.

Director of Student Media Neil Hopp was excited about the news.

“It’s the first time CM Life has won an in-depth award from the Hearst Foundation,” Hopp said. “It’s very gratifying.”

Manzullo said there was a great deal of work that went into his football player profile piece.

“For a story like that, it takes a lot energy,” Manzullo said. “I had to interview Brian Brunner a full week before the story began. Then I had to play the role of the reader and ask myself ‘What do the readers want to hear?’”

Sometimes an intended story takes a turn that the reporter couldn’t have predicted. Monson learned that from writing about basketball player Jacolby Hardiman.

“I had no intention of writing the story like I did,” Monson said. “I didn’t really know the story behind it. I was originally going to do the story on Jacolby Hardiman and the other transfer student. As I was talking to him, he just opened up to me about what happened with his dad. It just developed into a more in-depth story.”

The story gave Monson the opportunity to enter the contest along with Manzullo.

Hopp was not shocked that either writer had done so well in the competition.

“They’re both very experienced CM Life journalists,” Hopp said. “They challenged themselves to write more in-depth pieces. I think it proves to other CM Life students that you can do this kind of work and hopefully be recognized for it.”

university@cm-life.com