Emily Peedin wins Student Media’s Phillips Award for General Excellence

Emily Peedin is the recipient of the Dean Phillips Award for General Excellence for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is the top award within Student Media for students who show leadership and passion for student journalism.

The award was announced at the NC State Student Media Board of Directors meeting on April 8. 

Peedin, a fourth-year student studying psychology and religious studies, has served as the photo editor of Roundabout for three years, and covered major stories affecting the campus community, from COVID-19 testing as a first year to the most recent women’s basketball ACC and NCAA tournaments.

“Emily is a one-woman powerhouse whose conscientiousness, tenacity and sheer willingness to go beyond the call of duty surpasses every other person I’ve ever worked with,” said Bran Poster, Roundabout editor-in-chief for the entirety of Peedin’s time at Roundabout. “I cannot count the number of times that she’s astounded me with her diligence or made me smile with her exuberant sense of humor. She could not be more deserving of an award for general excellence!”

Her work on the visual staff, leading the weekly assignment meetings, covering events for both photo and video departments within Technician, The Nubian Message and Agromeck, and leading training sessions for new photographers, has still not completely filled her plate. She has also served for two years as the president of her sorority, Sigma Alpha Omega, a Christian service organization.

“Emily has not only pushed Roundabout forward through her creativity and work ethic, but she took it upon herself to become a vocal leader among our visual media team,” said Ray Black III, Roundabout’s adviser. “As a senior, she dedicated herself to making sure our visual team was as strong as it could be by the time she leaves us. Her constant positivity, how she celebrates every success by all the members of our photo staff, has helped create an extremely supportive environment that values everyone. She’s everyone’s loudest cheerleader.”

Will LaMarche, a fourth-year studying English and communications, was also named a finalist for the award. LaMarche currently works for four different groups within Student Media: Windhover, The Nubian Message, Roundabout and the Student Media Business Office.

Peedin will receive a $250 award from the Student Media Enhancement Fund and her name will be placed on a perpetual plaque hung in a place of honor on the third floor of Witherspoon Student Center.

Named for a long-time NC State Student Media Board of Directors member, the Phillips Award is open to all Student Media students except its senior leaders, who vote on the eventual winner as ex-officio members of the board. Now in the award’s fifth year, Peedin joins Technician’s Emily Vespa, Agromeck’s Jermaine Hudson and Windhover’s Emma Carter as recipients.

Dean Phillips, who continues to serve on the board since joining it as a charter member in 2007, is a multi-award-winning Senior Lecturer Emeritus from the NC State Department of Communication.