By Adam De Lucia

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation’s National Journalism Awards Program recognized Andrew Falzon, a senior broadcast journalism major, with 3rd place for Features in Radio in the initial round of their competition.

“I was incredibly excited and quite honestly somewhat surprised [to win the award],” Falzon said. “I entered with the goal of doing better than last time, but I did not expect to do this well.”

In the 2003-2004 competition Falzon placed 12th for his work at WRHU, the University’s radio station. He has been involved at the station for five years and worked as station manager for the last two years, but stepped down on Dec. 31, 2004.

“He’s done a great job,” Elizabeth Alfano, a junior speech-language-hearing sciences major and station staff member, said. “He always does what he can for the station.”

Falzon learned he would receive the award during finals week. The two stories he submitted for the competition were covered during his time at WRHU.

One of these stories featured a Long Island Mega Millions Jackpot winner who received his check at the Belmont Racetrack. It stood out because a backdrop of sounds revealed a story within itself.

“It’s the sound of that starting gate going up, the horse race going on,” Falzon said. “It sets the environment for the piece.”

Falzon and the University each received a $1,000 scholarship in addition to the recognition.

The award is an honor not only for Falzon, but also for WRHU, Bruce Avery, general manager at the station, said.

“This is one of the top, most prestigious awards categories you have in any campus arena,” he said. “He has taken us to new heights.”

Both Avery and Ed Ingles, professional in residence at WRHU, offered words of praise to Falzon.

“He has a lot of initiative,” Ingles said. “When he came in we were just reorganizing. We had hit rock bottom in the news department. It was a perfect match, it was the perfect time. I could see he would become a manager.”

Falzon is now a semi-finalist in the Hearst Foundation Program competing in the overall radio category. If he places in the top five, he will move on to the national championships held in San Francisco.

The airing of his stories on WRHU, combined with the accreditation of the University’s journalism program, has made Falzon eligible for this award.

The Hearst Foundation designed the national awards program to encourage excellence in journalism and journalism education, according to the Hearst Foundation Web site. The University has participated in the Hearst Foundation’s journalism competition since the accreditation of its journalism program two years ago.

Falzone placed 3rd for his work on WRHU, the University´s radio station. (Photo courtesy Andrew Falzone)