UAM Student Receives Society of Professional Journalists Scholarship for the Second Consecutive Year

Managing Editor

  
   The Society of Professional Journalists recently awarded a $1,000 scholarship to a University of Arkansas at Monticello student for the second consecutive year.

Douglas Boultinghouse

   Douglas Boultinghouse, a senior double journalism and speech/communications major, is the second UAM student to win the award and the first student to win the award twice. Danielle Kloap, the 2008 scholarship recipient, now serves as the editor of her own magazine called Horsemen's Roundup.

   Boultinghouse said the first time he won the award in 2009 he felt grateful for being chosen as one of the scholarship recipients. He said he attended the awards banquet at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and learned a lot of information from professionals in the field. He also said he didn't expect to win the award again when he filled out the application last spring.

   “It means a lot to me to be honored by the Society of Professional Journalists two years in a row. I admire the organization for reaching out to help start the careers of journalism students. I am truly grateful for their assistance in funding my education and I hope to make the chapter proud,” Boultinghouse said.

   The Society of Professional Journalists, Arkansas Professional Chapter, awards scholarships annually in the names of L.C. and Daisy Bates, J.N. Heiskell, K.A. Engel and Jerol Garrison, plus the Winthrop Rockefeller Freedom of Information Scholarship.

   Boultinghouse currently serves as editor-in-chief of The Voice, president of the Student Ambassadors and Delta Zeta Epsilon; and secretary for Alpha Chi. He also served as editor-in-chief for UAM's final yearbook.

   While working for The Voice, he has received several awards from the Arkansas Press Association. He said after graduation, he plans to pursue a career in the entertainment writing area of journalism due to his love of music.

   Ronald Sitton, associate professor of journalism, said Boultinghouse shows a knack for taking almost anything and turning it into a story even when little information is available.

   “He definitely has form down and definitely has stylistic stuff down,” Sitton said.

   Sitton said he never heard of anyone winning the SPJ scholarship two years in a row. He said Boultinghouse winning the award twice reflected the quality of Boultinghouse's work and the journalism program at UAM.

   “It's definitely a feather in the cap of the University to be able to say that we've featured an SPJ recipient the last three years,” Sitton said.

   Sitton also said he appreciates Boultinghouse's skills in graphic design. He said Boultinghouse adds designs to The Voice, which it never had in the past.

   “We've had people try, but as far as a natural talent ... he has that,” Sitton said.

   Boultinghouse graduated from Woodlawn High School in 2007 where he served as editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and yearbook. During that time, he won multiple design awards for yearbook from the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association. The ASPA also named him 2007 Yearbook Editor of the Year for the state of Arkansas in the 2A division.

   Boultinghouse is currently employed by the Cleveland County Herald in Rison as the advertising and graphic designer.

   Britt Talent, editor of the Cleveland County Herald, said Boultinghouse started working for him in 2006.

   “As a high school senior, one of his ads won Best in Show among all weekly newspapers entered in the Arkansas Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest. He has kept the awards rolling in ever since,” Talent said.

   Talent said Boultinghouse won or shared in 16 different awards, including taking both second and third in the "Best of Division" category.

   “Douglas' success on the contest circuit has earned him a reputation among the newspaper community in Arkansas as one of the state's up-and-comers,” Talent said.

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