Contact: Allison Matthews

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A Mississippi State alumna is being recognized with a prestigious Sigma Delta Chi award from the Society of Professional Journalists.

Multimedia journalist Germany Kent of Los Angeles received the award for online independent deadline reporting for her work “Tragedy in Thousand Oaks,” focused on the 2018 mass shooting at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California. The piece was shot, edited, produced and published by Kent.

Each year, SPJ recognizes the best in professional journalism in categories covering print, radio, television, newsletters, art/graphics, online and research. Kent’s award recognizes resourceful and complete coverage of a major breaking news event, emphasizing both deadline reporting and continuing coverage as the story develops over succeeding days.

A 1998 MSU graduate, Kent was known as a student by her given name, Evelyn Palmer. The Greenville native studied marketing, counseling and journalism and served as Student Association attorney general.

Now a Los Angeles resident, Kent received her recent award during a banquet hosted by NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Hallie Jackson at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 

“I am deeply honored to receive this award because it was given by my peers. To receive recognition for your work on a national level is so exciting and humbling,” Kent said.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.