July 20, 2021
Freeland wins two national honorable mentions for her writing
Submitted by J. Steven Smethers
Gloria Freeland, who writes a weekly online column, "Kansas Snapshots," and occasional historical articles for the Manhattan Mercury and Riley Countian, received a national honorable mention for her column. She and her husband, Art Vaughan, also received a national honorable mention for their book, "An Opportunity to Be Better," about Morganville, Kansas adopting Fèves, France after World War II.
Freeland is emeritus professor in Kansas State University's A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Outstanding communications entries from throughout the U.S. won honors in the 2021 National Communications Contest, sponsored by the National Federation of Press Women. The winners were recognized in a virtual ceremony in June.
Nearly 300 professional journalists, communications specialists, and educators judged some 2,000 entries in a wide variety of categories.
About Freeland's column, the judge wrote, "What I like about your columns is the way you … connect so many pieces of information into a snapshot of who you are."
The judge for the nonfiction book for adult readers, biography or history category said Freeland's and Vaughan's book "tells of an outstanding effort of Kansas' earnest citizens to counteract the effects of World War II." The judge also applauded the inclusion of students in the project. Students from Freeland's spring 2013 newswriting class "discovered" the story of the 1940s-1950s sister-city relationship, and she and Vaughan did additional research in Morganville and Clay Center and traveled to France seven times to bring the story to the present day.
Winners in the contest first competed in contests within their state or in an at-large contest for states without contests. First-place winners in these contests advanced to the national contest. All entries were published or broadcast between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2020.
National Federation of Press Women is a nationwide organization of women and men pursuing careers across the communications spectrum, including print and electronic journalism, freelancing, new media, books, public relations, marketing, graphic design, photography, advertising, radio and television.