The Panther wins top 2 S.C. collegiate journalism awards
By:
Apr 01, 2026
The Panther earned six awards in the South Carolina Press Association Collegiate Division journalism excellence competition for 2025, including the two top honors.
The awards were presented at SCPA’s annual collegiate meeting in Columbia on March 27. The daylong event included workshops and panel discussions pertaining to student journalism.
Alexis Wilson, 2026 editor of Claflin University's student newspaper, was named Lee Harter Collegiate Journalist of the Year for South Carolina colleges and universities with under 10,000 enrollment. The award is named in honor of The Panther's adviser and Claflin's journalist-in-residence, who is also the retired editor of The Times and Democrat, Orangeburg's daily newspaper.
Wilson became the eighth Claflin student journalist in 12 years to win SCPA's top collegiate award, an unprecedented run.
In naming her the winner from among a field of nominees (one per college/university), the judges recognized Wilson for “her drive, dedication, leadership and the overall impact she’s made as a reporter and editor for her school’s newspaper.
“Her track record includes work on nearly every kind of story, from coverage of the ‘Orangeburg Massacre’ memorial to a civil rights forum featuring women in the movement, from reports on a potential TikTok ban to the honors college’s work for charity, and from the Claflin president acknowledging plans for a tuition hike, to him revealing a belief that not raising tuition during his five years at the helm was a mistake.” (more comments below)
Damaia Davis, 2025 Panther editor, topped off her big day that included two other individual honors by seeing The Panther win first place in General Excellence among student newspapers from the under-10,000 institutions. The Panther and Davis, who was Claflin's 2024 nominee for journalist of the year, placed second in the competition a year ago.
The Collegian of Bob Jones University placed second and Winthrop University's The Johnsonian was third after winning the award for 2024.
The judges stated: “Local, local, local! Focus is on campus with numerous student/faculty voices included. Tackled tough subjects and hard-hitting news, localized national issues and shared lovely features. Well done.”
In addition to The Panther's two top awards:
Brown, a 21-year-old senior computer science major, died after collapsing in the school gymnasium. The story explores why the reporters describe him as “a son, a friend and a classmate loved by many and respected by most.”
Of Odom's photo, the judges stated: “Joy at the snow is readily apparent on the subject’s face. This picture draws you in and you want to be there too.”
The SCPA contest features two divisions. The under-10,000 division in which Claflin competes includes a majority of the colleges and universities in the contest.
2025 journalist-of-the-year presentation
Alexis Wilson was named journalist of the year on March 27. She was introduced as the winner with the following:
“This year’s Lee Harter Collegiate Journalist of the Year in the under -10,000 division is recognized for her drive, dedication, leadership and the overall impact she’s made as a reporter and editor for her school’s newspaper.
“Her track record includes work on nearly every kind of story, from coverage of the “Orangeburg Massacre” memorial to a civil rights forum featuring women in the movement, from reports on a potential TikTok ban to the honors college’s work for charity, and from the Claflin president acknowledging plans for a tuition hike, to him revealing a belief that not raising tuition during his five years at the helm was a mistake.
“As editor of her campus newspaper, she’s recruited reporters, increased the number of breaking stories and has her eye on a redesign.
“Her adviser has worked with many talented students and professional journalists over the past 45 years. He noted none better and with more potential than Alexis Wilson.
“Outside of her work with The Panther, Wilson anchors a campus news show, is HBCU First’s media lead and helps with social media for Claflin Student Success Coaches. She spent last summer at Yale University working on a research project highlighting TikTok’s need for increased security measures for its younger users.
“In her words, ‘Journalism is not just headlines and news stories; it’s about being the voice for the voiceless and sharing positive stories with the world.’
“Please join us in recognizing Alexis Wilson of The Panther at Claflin University as our under-10,000 Lee Harter Collegiate Journalist of the Year.”
Claflin journalists of the year
A Panther editor/reporter has been named SCPA journalist of the year among under-10,000 (previously under 5,000) enrollment South Carolina colleges and universities in eight of the 12 years from 2014 to 2025.
- 2025 – Alexis Wilson
- 2023 – Tyuanna “Ty” Williams
- 2021 – Jaliah Robinson
- 2020 -- Marcus Hamilton
- 2018 – Olanma Hazel Mang
- 2017 – Bradley Harris
- 2015 – Andres Waters
- 2014 – Princess Williams
Claflin’s honorees/nominees for the award in other years are:
- 2024 – Damaia Davis
- 2022 – Ty Williams
- 2019 – Thalia Butts
- 2016 – Audrey Anchirinah
Panther adviser Lee Harter with Panther 2025 Editor Damaia Davis (center) and Panther 2026 Editor Alexis Wilson at the South Carolina Press Association collegiate meeting on March 27, 2026, in Columbia.
Jayla Odom won first place in the Photograph category for her image of Brea Childs playing in the snow and ice at Claflin on Jan. 22, 2025.
Rebekah Bishop’s image of Travis Simons speaking at the 2025 Matriculation Day ceremony placed second in the Photograph category.