Matthew Catrillo of Henryville, a digital media senior in Clarion University Department
of Communication, took a first-place award for his television news package, “Shanksville
Remembrance,” in the Society for Collegiate Journalists 2015 National Contest. The
awards were announced in April.
Catrillo, a member of Clarion's SCJ Chapter, covered the Flight 93 National Memorial's 13th Commemorative Service Sept. 11, 2014, in Shanksville, Somerset County. His television package was broadcast and posted by the university's student-run media, CU-TV and The Clarion Call.
"My goal was to bring everyone back to that tragic day in our country and remember how they felt. I wanted everyone to remember the courage and strength of those passengers who took down that plane," Catrillo said. "Most importantly, I wanted viewers to remember those families who still grieve for their loved ones to this day."
In judging the story, Anthony Dorunda, news producer at WKRC-TV, Local 12 News in Cincinnati, wrote, "This is one of those stories that is emotionally driven. The ringing of those bells drives that point home."
Members of the Clarion SCJ Chapter competed with college newspapers, websites, yearbooks, magazines and radio and television stations across the nation in this contest.
"This experience has given me the confidence that I can take a story like this and turn it into something that gets people talking," Catrillo said. "It was the first emotional/historic news story I've every covered, and also the biggest. I've done mostly sports in my collegiate career, so this proves I can do news, too. It makes me versatile, which is key to breaking into the business."
Catrillo is sports director of Eagle Media Productions, a recently launched on-campus production house which combines the campus radio and television stations. Before they combined, Catrillo was sports director for two years of the radio station, WCUC-FM.
On the radio side, he does play-by-play and color commenting for football, basketball, baseball and softball, and he co-hosts a sports talk show, "Football Friday." As sports anchor for the TV station, CU-TV, has done play-by-play, color commenting and sideline reporting for football, soccer, wrestling and basketball, and he hosts a sports show, "Golden Eagles Live!"
After graduating in May, Catrillo hopes to be on air, either in TV or radio broadcasting, preferably in sports. He hopes that winning the award will set him apart from other job seekers.
"Sports broadcasting has been my big passion, but I would be fine with doing news," he said. "I've grown to like it through different experiences, and this award tells me I'm very capable of doing it."
Dr. Laurie S. Miller, assistant professor in the department of communication, is the faculty advisor for the university SCJ chapter.