January 12, 1999

KU SENIOR PLACES THIRD IN NATIONAL JOURNALISM COMPETITION

LAWRENCE -- Spencer Duncan, University of Kansas senior from Topeka, won a $1,000 scholarship for placing third in the editorial and opinion column writing contest of the William Randolph Hearst Foundation's 39th annual Journalism Awards Program.

Ninety-three students from 52 universities and colleges participated in the competition.

Duncan is the son of Mr. and Mrs. R.E. Duncan, 77 SW Peppertree Lane, Topeka.

Duncan placed for his commentary, "Raising money to build a new recreation center not that difficult," which appeared in the Sept. 9, 1998, issue of the University Daily Kansan. Duncan is a news-editorial major in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications and an English major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at KU.

His previous writing awards include placing second in the 1997 Hearst opinion writing competition and placing second in the 1996 sports writing competition. He has also received the Roy Howard Award from the Scripps Howard News Service and a Society of Professional Journalists award in sports writing and in column writing.

"I'm very opinionated and writing is sort of a way to put my take on things out there," Duncan said.

Rick Musser, Hearst coordinator for KU, described Duncan's writing as a poke in the eye with a velvet glove. "Spencer's got an edge and an attitude. When he puts that in words, he can be very compelling," Musser said.

Duncan has covered KU sports for the Topeka Capital-Journal for three years. After graduation in May, he plans to intern at the Austin, Texas, American-Statesman.

The Hearst competition comprises six writing competitions, three photo competitions and two broadcast news competitions, with championship finals in each division to be held in April. A total of 107 undergraduate schools of journalism in the United States are participating in the program, which awards $366,200 in scholarships and grants annually.

KU is in eighth place in overall points for the Intercollegiate Writing Competition. Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., is in first place. The Journalism Awards Program is conducted under the auspices of accredited schools of the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communications and funded and administered by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

Story by Camille Payne, (785) 864-8860

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