Charger Bulletin Staff Recognized by Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists

The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists recently recognized three staff members of The Charger Bulletin, the University’s award-winning student-run newspaper. The organization’s college contest recognizes student journalists from schools across the state, and the students were recognized for their work over the course of the 2021-22 academic year.

Lindsay Giovannone ’23, copy desk chief, captured first place in the general column/commentary category for her piece titled, “Why I stopped watching football – and why other women should too.”

Samuel Weinmann ’24, who will serve as managing editor during the upcoming academic year, captured first place in the spot news category for his coverage of an incident police responded to on campus.

Tyler Wells ’23, a member of the Chargers baseball team who will serve as editor-in-chief during the upcoming academic year, was recognized in the sports feature story category, capturing third place for “A reflection on a unique fall athletics season.”

“The staff of The Charger Bulletin is getting just an ounce of the attention they deserve,” said Prof. Susan Campbell, the paper’s adviser. “They are tireless, committed, and great people with whom to work. I am so very proud of them.”

The newspaper also recently earned a first-place honor from the American Scholastic Press Association for the second year in a row, in recognition of the students’ editing and content coverage, as well as their continued publication amid the impact of the pandemic.

Below, the three award recipients reflect on the recognition.

Lindsay Giovannone ’23, copy desk chief

Writing for The Charger Bulletin is one of the most amazing decisions I made at the University of New Haven. I started in January 2021 with no journalism experience. Because of the supportive environment at The Charger Bulletin, my news writing gradually improved, and I became an editor in Fall 2021.

It is truly an honor to win the first-place award from the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists for a commentary article. My article, “Why I stopped watching football – and why other women should too” was published online on October 26.

“Why I stopped watching football – and why other women should too” is a humorous take on women’s role in sports, especially male-dominated sports such as football. I wrote, facetiously, that women should have absolutely no involvement and abstain from so much as viewing male-dominated sports. Of course, I do not actually believe this. I wanted to write in a hyperbolic way, using real incidents and experiences to draw attention to the belittlement of women in these spaces.

This article was my first try at satire, a genre of writing I have always loved. The works of Joseph Heller and Kurt Vonnegut have significantly influenced me. But, most of all, I am indebted to Susan Campbell, who has always believed in my writing and consistently encouraged me to push for the truth.

I am still ecstatic, and earning this award is something I never expected. Despite being a writer, I fail to find words encapsulating my gratitude for everyone at The Charger Bulletin. It is a privilege to be part of this organization and an even greater privilege to know the people in it.

Samuel Weinmann ’24, managing editor

I first joined The Charger Bulletin during my sophomore year. I started out as a contributing writer, eventually becoming a staff writer. During the last year, The Charger Bulletin has allowed me to explore multiple types of journalism – something that I now consider to be my career path. Throughout my sophomore year, I was able to learn and grow as a journalist through my position as the politics editor.

As it was my first leadership position in the organization, I learned a lot about what it meant to be a journalist. Not only did I gain firsthand experience in spot news reporting, but I also learned how to guide, teach, and provide the same support to new writers who got involved. Despite the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am so proud of the resolve and determination of the entire Charger Bulletin team.

While I was ecstatic to find out I won (along with two of my colleagues) first place in spot news reporting in the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists (Connecticut SPJ) college journalism contest, I am equally as proud that the entire Charger Bulletin staff has been recognized yet again by the American Scholastic Press Association for our excellence in student journalism.

As a whole, The Charger Bulletin and The Charger Bulletin Magazine allow any student who wishes to join to gain valuable, real-world journalism experience, providing opportunities for broadcast journalism, photojournalism, as well as other long-form creative outlets.

On a personal level, winning first place in the Connecticut SPJ’s reporting contest demonstrates how valuable and important an organization like The Charger Bulletin is. With only a year of experience under my belt, I was able to quickly grow from a contributing writer to assuming a leadership position in the organization.

As I go into my junior year at the University and take over the role of managing editor, I would like to encourage any and all students with an interest in journalism to join the organization, or to at least reach out to learn more about it.

Tyler Wells ’23, editor-in-chief

It is an honor to be recognized by the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists for this award, and to be included with such great pieces of collegiate journalism from around the state. The University of New Haven has given me a chance to cover some great teams, and getting the opportunity to just reflect on a standout season, the first full one since the pandemic's onset, was incredible. The athletes do the work, and being able to be a proverbial “fly on the wall” to tell the story was an amazing experience.

For The Charger Bulletin as a whole, these awards show what we already knew: We have talented writers putting together great pieces of journalism. I want to personally congratulate Sam and Lindsay for their first-place awards and encourage every person to check out their stories if they have the time. You will certainly not regret it.

Every year it seems like our writers push the quality of their writing forward, and I am extremely excited to see what comes next!

Lindsay Giovannone ’23, a history major, is copy desk chief for The Charger Bulletin. Samuel Weinmann ’24 is an international affairs major and will serve managing editor during the upcoming academic year. Tyler Wells ’23 is a communication major who will serve as editor-in-chief.