UBC students and faculty have excelled at the 2024 Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs), recognizing excellence in digital journalism. They took home four awards, three golds and one silver.
In a standout achievement in the media category, Jake de Guzman won gold for best photo journalism and Ashley Li took gold for best video.
Students were also recognized in the academic category. Chhavi Mehra won gold for best multicultural story and Beth Rochester snapped up a silver for best feel good story.
“From photojournalism to feature writing, podcast to video documentary, UBC Journalism students and faculty have walked into the 2024 Canadian Online Publishing Awards with 11 nominations and walked out with four wins,” said director and professor Kamal Al-Solaylee.
“While the numbers are giving me some serious bragging rights, the quality of the submitted work is what I’m proud of the most. Our students and instructors continue to produce thoughtful, whimsical and captivating stories that bring to life wide-ranging local and global experiences.”
All the award-winning multimedia projects provided fresh perspectives on community and belonging in Canada, from the empowerment of immigrant women through food to live-action role-playing in a Burnaby park.
The projects were produced for the Visual Journalism course, under the supervision of professors Alfred Hermida and Uytae Lee.
“This award means the world to me,” said Chhavi Mehra on her win for best multicultural story. “This story represented the love, care, and hard work as these women put their trust in me and shared some very difficult moments.
“Thank you to Tayybeh, my professors, Alf and Uytae, and my friends and family who all pushed me to help tell this story of women empowerment, food, and migration in the best way possible!”
The UBC School of Journalism, Writing, and Media received 11 nominations in multiple categories. In 2023, UBC Journalism students and faculty took home one gold and four COPAs.
Award winners
Gold:
Best Photo Journalism (media category)
- A Daily Dose of Silliness
Jake de Guzman, photographer
Alfred Hermida, faculty editor
Uytae Lee, faculty editor
Best Video Content (media category)
- Lingyen Mountain Temple’s Tapestry of Belonging And Cultural Harmony
Ashley Li, reporter
Alfred Hermida, faculty editor
Uytae Lee, faculty editor
Best Multicultural Story (academic category)
- Savouring Sisterhood: One Falafel At A Time
Chhavi Mehra, reporter
Alfred Hermida, faculty editor
Uytae Lee, faculty editor
Silver:
Best Feel Good Story (academic category)
- Friendship Through Foam Swords
Beth Rochester, reporter and photographer
Alfred Hermida, Faculty editor
Uytae Lee, Faculty editor
Finalists
Best Feel Good Story (academic category)
- Breaking Naan: Pakistani Food In Vancouver
Bismah Mughal, videographer, reporter, editor
Kathryn Gretsinger, supervising producer
Best Feature Article (academic category)
- Mr. Fire-Man’s Workshop
Aryan Chambyal, feporter
Alfred Hermida, faculty editor
Uytae Lee, faculty editor
- Why It Is So Hard To Get Into Canadian Medical Schools
Tia Sacks, reporter
Frances Bula, editor
Best Blog Column/Videocast/Podcast
- The Future of Canadian Journalism
Alfred Hermida
Best Video Content (media category)
- France’s Olympic Gamble
Students and faculty of UBC Journalism’s Global Reporting Program, produced in partnership with Al Jazeera - Breaking Naan: Pakistani Food In Vancouver
Bismah Mughal, reporter, videographer, editor
Kathryn Gretsinger, supervising producer
Best Podcast (business category)
- Cooking Up Culture
Karla Jubaily, host and producer
Alfred Hermida, faculty editor
