UIW Students Recognized by the Lone Star EMMY Educational Foundation
Students Bring Home Six Awards
San Antonio – November 17, 2023 – “I felt ecstatic when I found out I was awarded a Student Production Award from the Lone Star EMMY Educational Foundation. It is something I have been thinking about ever since I started in the UIW Communications Arts Department.”
That’s the reaction Markus McGuire had after learning he and his team received the Lone Star EMMY Chapter Student Production Award in the Short Film-Fiction category at this year’s 2023 awards. Natalie Lopez is also an award recipient as part of the team that worked on the UIWtv magazine show “Cardstock.” Natalie worked on a piece that featured the Hungry Chameleon Pizzeria, a local family-owned restaurant on San Antonio’s northeast side.
“I had a great time working on ‘Cardstock,’ says Lopez. “I got the chance to learn about and dive deep into the history of a local business staple. It was really sweet getting to know and interview the business owners. We wanted to share their story and I think we were successful in doing so by using ‘Cardstock’ to promote that. I couldn’t have done it without the support of my classmates and their assistance since, in the end, it was a team effort.”
They were among the six awards received by University of the Incarnate Word students, including:
- Best Newscast - UIWtv
- Best Serious News – Joy Burgin
- Best Light News – Katya Harmel
- Short Film Fiction – “Rope” – Markus McGuire, John David Gamez, Dan Mcniel, Mathew Falletich
- Best PSA – Frank Flores
- Best College Magazine Program – CardStock
“These prestigious awards are a reflection of the passion and dedication students consistently put into their work here at the university,” says Theresa Coronado, Communication Arts instructor and advisor. “It’s an honor to be able to guide and mentor the students in their academic journey. Awards from the Lone Star EMMY Educational Foundation have really helped our students land jobs upon graduation. We are so proud of our recent graduates: Joy Burgin, Abigail Velez and Zoe Del Rosario, all past winners who are all now working in TV news.”
The Lone Star EMMY Educational Foundation is part of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. According to its website, the presentation of the student production awards is intended to be an incentive for the continued pursuit of excellence by those studying media and journalism and to focus public attention on outstanding cultural, educational, technological, entertainment, news and informational achievements by undergraduate College and/or High School Students.
“After graduation, I plan on entering into the marketing field and use the skills I learned there,” says McGuire. “If I have the time, I might try to break into the film and TV industry. Hopefully one day I can direct a major film or TV show.”
“After graduation, I want to continue working as an intern in the fields of filmmaking, public relations and digital content creation and management,” concludes Lopez. “Before jumping into a career of my own, I want to get more practice and experience because I feel like there is still so much more to learn and so much to improve on. I advise anyone who is unsure what they want to create or achieve to just go do it without a second thought because you will never regret the opportunity to do so.”
To view some of the award-winning work of these students, follow this link: