The School of Communication
...or as we like to call it, The School of Success!
- published: 2025/09/29
The School of Communication is ranked the No. 10 top winning audio program and the No. 44 overall broadcasting programs out of 159 schools in the nation by the Broadcast Education Association (BEA).
The rankings are compiled from five years of student creative work submitted to the BEA Media Arts Festival, the preeminent international competition for student broadcast media. Only the top 20 percent of Festival entries are considered for awards each year.
The wins span audio, television, podcasting, and social media works by students.
School of Communication students earned a record 23 Eric Sevareid Awards at the Midwest Journalism Conference in Minnesota.
In addition, two student's were recognized at the BEA Festival of Media Arts in Las Vegas.
Students traveled to both award ceremonies as part of the School of Communication's commitment to giving its student journalists professional experience beyond the classroom. The trips were led by School of Communication faculty alongside Director Dr. Heather Hundley.
MavRadio.FM, UNO's student-run radio station, had another successful year as well, as they earned 14 awards including 8 first-place awards.
UNO TV's student journalists earned an additional 9 awards across categories ranging from broadcast writing and investigative reporting to evening newscast and social media.
2026 BEA Festival of Media Arts
MavRadio
Award of Excellence: "Haunted Heartland: Inside Nebraska's Museum of Shadows" (Audio), "Haunted Heartland Hour 1: History, Culture, and Storytelling in the Fall" (Documentary/Special), "Foods of Fall" (Soft Feature), "From First Pitch to Final Out: Men's College World Series" (Sports Reporting), and "Earth Day 2025: Voices on Sustainability in Omaha" (Talk/Public Affairs).
MavRadio.FM in the Non-Narrative Audio category "Live from the Strauss Performing Arts Center: CFAM 20th Anniversary, Segment 2/3," along with an Award of Excellence in the Narrative Audio category for "Haunted Heartland: Live Broadcast Open, 14th Anniversary Edition."
UNO TV
Broadcast Writing for "Newscast #6" and Social Media for "Haunted Heartland 2026." Investigative reporter Henry Talacko earned two Awards of Merit for "Caught in the Flock: Investigating Omaha's Growing Camera Network" and "The Price of Free: How No-Cost Technology Is Redefining Privacy." Multimedia journalist Mary Mitzlaff was recognized for her year of solo storytelling work, and the team behind "The Omaha News" took home an Award of Merit in the Evening Newscast category.
2026 MBJA Eric Sevareid First Place Awards
MavRadio.FM — Student Market Radio
Audio: "Haunted Heartland: Inside Nebraska's Museum of Shadows" Joel Anderjaska
Documentary/Special: "Haunted Heartland Hour 1: History, Culture, and Storytelling in the Fall"
MavRadio.FM Staff
Lifestyle or Specialty Programming: "Haunted Halls and Fast Fashion: Fall Traditions in Omaha" Bella McAtee
Social Media: "Haunted Heartland 2026" MavRadio.FM Social Media Team
Soft Feature: "Foods of Fall" Isaac McBee
Sports Reporting: "From First Pitch to Final Out: MavRadio at the Men's College World Series" MavRadio.FM Staff
Talk/Public Affairs: "Earth Day 2025: Voices on Sustainability in Omaha" Bayleigh Koch, Myah French, Denise Valdez-Alvarez, and Wyatt Lehr
Awards of Merit
Audio: "CFAM 20th Live From the Carpet" Myah French, Juliette Eckler, Katie Klemmensen, Wyatt Lehr, Sam Eckler, Bayleigh Koch, Sean Keating, Denise Valdez-Alvarez, and Brian Tessmer
Audio: "Haunted Heartland Segment 2: Halls of History and the Dark Side of Fast Costume" Quise, Bella McAtee, Wyatt Lehr, Juliette, Myah French, Jacie, Bayleigh Koch, and Denise Valdez-Alvarez
General Reporting: "Fast Fashion and Halloween Waste: Rethinking Costume Consumption" Bella McAtee
Hard Feature: "SNAP Shutdown Leaves Nebraska Families and Small Businesses in Limbo" Mo Al-Ebadi
Podcast: "MavRadio.FM Haunted Heartland 2025" MavRadio.FM Staff
UNO TV / Student Market Television First Place Winners
Broadcast Writing: "Newscast #6" UNO TV Staff
Social Media: "Haunted Heartland 2026" UNO TV Social Media Team
Awards of Merit
Broadcast Writing: "Wear Black Give Back Live Kick-Off 2025" UNO TV and MavRadio.FM Staff
Evening Newscast: "The Omaha News" School of Communication Students
Investigative: "Caught in the Flock: Investigating Omaha's Growing Camera Network" Henry Talacko
Investigative: "The Price of Free: How "No-Cost" Technology Is Redefining Privacy" Henry Talacko
Lifestyle or Specialty Programming: "Wear Black Give Back Live Kick-Off 2025" UNO TV and MavRadio.FM Staff
Multi-Media Journalist / Solo Storyteller: "From First Story to Field Leader: Mary Mitzlaff's Growth as a Multimedia Journalist" Mary Mitzlaff
Podcast: "UNO's Student Section Podcast"
"This group of students worked incredibly hard all year, and to see that work recognized at both the regional and national level is something I will not forget," said Jodeane Brownlee, lecturer in the UNO School of Communication and general manager of MavRadio.FM "Every story behind these awards represents long nights in the studio, last-minute rewrites, and a real commitment to telling Omaha's stories well. I could not be prouder of them."
MavRadio.FM is UNO's student-run radio station and serves as a hands-on training ground for students in journalism, broadcasting, and audio production. It broadcasts online at MavRadio.FM and through digital platforms. UNO TV produces "The Omaha News," a weekly student-produced newscast that airs on Facebook, YouTube, The Knowledge Network, Nebraska Public Media, and KXVO.
For more information, contact: Jodeane Brownlee, Lecturer and General Manager, MavRadio.FM
jbrownlee@unomaha.edu
About the UNO School of Communication
The University of Nebraska at Omaha School of Communication prepares students for careers in journalism, broadcasting, public relations, advertising, and communication studies. Students gain professional experience through MavRadio.FM, UNO TV, The Omaha News, The Gateway student newspaper, and partnerships across the Omaha media market. For more information, visit School of Communication
Start here to visit UNO and CFAM
There's nothing like taking a campus visit. It's your chance to walk through our facilities, meet faculty, and sit down with one of our academic advisors.
We are the College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media (CFAM). There are three schools that make up CFAM. The School of Communication, School of Music and the School of the Arts.
Start the conversation with our School of Communication Academic Advisor
Megan Lee meganlee@unomaha.edu