Here are the Langston Student Journalists who Won Awards in 2026

Each year, Langston University Broadcast Journalism students submit their work to the Oklahoma Broadcast Educator’s Association (OBEA) Competition in audio and video categories and to the Oklahoma Press Association (OPA) Better Newspaper Competition in print journalism categories. In 2026, Langston University students took a total of seven statewide awards for their work in 2025.

Langston Seniors Sweep Multi-Media Reporting Category at OBEA

A smiling young woman with curly hair, wearing glasses and a black and white sweater vest over a white shirt, sitting in front of a plain wall. — 1st Place – Kaycie Washington – Multi-Media Reporting

A confident Black woman smiling at the camera, wearing a professional gray blazer over a white top, with long, wavy hair and arms crossed. — 1st Place – Kaycie Washington – Multi-Media Reporting

At the 2026 Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Day, Langston University students shut out every other participating university in the multi-media reporting category. Senior Kaycie Washington, 2025 graduate Taniya McQueen, and 2025 graduate Krystal Butler took first, second, and third place respectively in this category.

View the Winning Multi-Media Work

Goats, Growth, and Community: Langston University’s 2025 Food & Agriculture Conference Inspires All Ages

Sherman Lewis Highlights 2025 Agriculture Conference

Oklahoma Congressmen take a look at preparation for the 3rd Annual Goat Conference.

Gazette Team Takes 1st Place in In-Depth Reporting

1st Place – Christian Macklin – In-Depth Reporting

1st Place – Kaycie Washington – In-Depth Reporting

Close-up portrait of a young man wearing a baseball cap and a dark jacket, looking thoughtfully to the side. — 1st Place – Trentiss Parker – In-Depth Reporting

At the Oklahoma Press Association, the work of three students was honored with a collective victory in the in-depth reporting category. Work submitted in this category reflects an effort by the reporters to cover a story deeply from multiple angles. Christian Macklin, Kaycie Washington, and Trentiss Parker each wrote a story focused on challenges Langston University faced in residence life and housing in 2025, helping students, faculty, staff, alumni, and parents gain a deeper understanding of those problems.

View the Winning In-Depth Reporting Work

Students Face Overflow Conditions in Housing

by Christian Macklin

With No Place to Stay, Some Students Squat on Campus

by trentissrparker

Student Voices Highlight Langston Housing Issues

by The LU Gazette

Gazette Reporters Awarded in Feature Writing and Multi-Media Reporting

1st Place – Kylah Goff – Feature Writing

Kylah Goff and Jeremy Arballo took individual awards at the Oklahoma Press Association Better Newspaper Competition. Goff’s feature reporting on Miss Langston was awarded first place and Arballo’s combination news story and short documentary about a local cat cafe was awarded second place in multi-media reporting.

View the Winning Feature and Multi-Media stories

A’lexis Wells’ Path to Becoming Miss Langston

Meow and Mocha opens in Guthrie

Langstongazette.com takes 1st Place in Digital Media

Lastly, the online platform for The Gazette, langstongazette.com, took top honors at the Oklahoma Press Association competition for digital media. This is the second time the site has been awarded first place at OPA since its launch in 2023, and reflects the site’s 2025 redesign to include interactive issues and a free email newsletter.

Daniel Thompson

Daniel Thompson is a faculty member in the department of communication and the adviser for The Gazette, Langston University’s student newspaper.

Story ideas, opinion editorials, calendar events and advertising requests can be sent to dthom34@langston.edu. You may follow The Gazette on Instagram @lu_gazette, or sign up for our free newsletter.
The Gazette serves as the student voice of Langston University. It is produced within the Department of Communication as a teaching tool and local news source for the campus community. The views and opinions expressed within are those of the writers whose names appear with the articles and do not necessarily represent the views of Langston University.