Two UBC Journalism students have received student journalism awards from the Jack Webster Foundation. Second-year student Jon Hernandez and first year Peggy Lam received two of the five student awards, which recognize students in B.C. who have demonstrated their dedication to the profession of journalism.
This year’s other recipients are Sally Barber from BCIT and Vincent Matak and Bridgette Watson from Langara College. The awards will be presented at the annual Webster Awards gala on November 4 in Vancouver.
Lam is in her first semester at UBC Journalism and has worked as a news intern at CKNW radio in Vancouver and produced a short documentary on the Canadian oil sands and their impact on First Nations communities.
“It feels amazing to be recognized,” she said. “It motivates me and encourages me to continue to pursue journalism. There aren’t many places of recognition when we’re working as young journalists.”
Lam hopes to build her broadcast journalism skills and report on politics and race relations during the remainder of her time at UBC.
Hernandez is an International Reporting Program fellow this year, currently working to produce a major multimedia project that will incorporate new storytelling platforms. “We’re doing some pretty innovative stuff with virtual reality that I’m really excited to be a part of,” he said.
In addition to the Webster award, Hernandez is also a finalist for a Canadian Online Publishing Award in the category of Best Video for the short documentary he co-produced, The River, the Road. Those awards are announced November 19 in Toronto.