Southeastern students win first Louisiana Emmy scholarships
Wednesday, August 16, 2017 
by: Tonya Lowentritt
EMMY SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS - Three Southeastern Louisiana University students at the Southeastern Channel recently won prestigious Emmy scholarships awarded by the Suncoast Region of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the 2017-18 academic year. They are the first students attending a Louisiana university to win Emmy scholarships. The Emmy organization awards scholarships to students who major in television broadcasting, maintain a 3.5 grade point average, and have exhibited outstanding television work along with strong career goals in the television industry. From left are Southeastern Channel General Manager Rick Settoon, senior Courtney Bruno of New Orleans, junior Amanda Kitch of Mandeville, and freshman Dylan Domangue of Houma.
HAMMOND – Three Southeastern Louisiana University students at the Southeastern Channel
are the first-ever students attending a Louisiana university to receive prestigious
Emmy scholarships by the Suncoast Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts
and Sciences.
Junior Amanda Kitch of Mandeville and senior Courtney Bruno of New Orleans each won
$5,000 scholarships for the upcoming 2017-18 academic year, while freshman Dylan Domangue
of Houma was awarded a $3,000 stipend.
The Suncoast Chapter offers scholarships to eligible high school seniors and
university students who reside within the Suncoast Region, comprised of Louisiana,
Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Puerto Rico.
To be eligible for the university award, students must maintain a 3.5 overall
grade point average with a major in communications/broadcasting and a concentration
in television. Applicants are required to submit a transcript, resume, one-page
biography, 250-word essay, a letter of recommendation, and participate in a personal
interview conducted by the Emmy scholarship committee.
All three recipients work at the Southeastern Channel and study television in
the electronic media concentration of the Department of Languages and Communication.
Kitch, an anchor, reporter and producer for the station’s student newscast, “Northshore
News,” earlier this year won third-place “Best Television Journalist in the South”
honors in Knoxville, Tenn., at the Southeast Journalism Conference. She teamed with
Bruno to win the SEJC’s second-place onsite honors for “Best TV News Reporting.”
“Being awarded this scholarship isn’t just a compliment, but encouragement that
I am learning the right things in television and doing well practicing them,” Kitch
said.
Kitch has also received top awards among Louisiana and Mississippi students at
the Associated Press College Broadcasters Journalism Conference and an honorable mention
Emmy recognition for a public safety announcement she produced entitled, “A Stronger
You.”
“I treat the Southeastern Channel as my workshop, my place to grow my brain and
refine my skills with great help and a plethora of resources,” Kitch said. “When the
Southeastern Channel became more of my work space instead of just a classroom, I noticed
a significant difference in my craft. Besides learning my trade skills, I have learned
and continue to practice professionalism, networking skills, and time-management.”
Bruno, along with shooting and editing “Northshore News,” produces, directs,
shoots and edits for the national award-winning student entertainment show “College
Night.” She’s also the videographer and editor for a wide variety of Southeastern
Channel programs, including lectures, forums, and music and sports events.
“It is truly an honor to win this scholarship,” Bruno said. “The Emmys are so
prestigious that to win a scholarship not only helps finance my education, but it
ensures my choice in careers. It will open doors to professional opportunities.”
“Working at the channel has given me the tools and experience to enhance my craft
and work ethic,” Bruno said. “With the real-world experience from the editing software
programs we use to the real-world projects we get assigned, I feel more prepared for
the job market.”
Domangue is a reporter and anchor for the Southeastern Channel’s sportscast,
“The Big Game,” which was recently named one of the top four student sportscasts in
the nation at the 2017 College Sports Media Awards. He has also done live, play-by-play
announcing, color commentary and sideline reporting for a number of Southeastern sports
events.
“It is an honor to win the Emmy scholarship,” Domangue said. “Being only a freshman
at the time, I never imagined I would be able to do that. I just want to constantly
improve and be the best I can be.”
“This is a tremendous honor for Amanda, Courtney and Dylan since they had to
pass very strict Emmy criteria to win the scholarship,” said Southeastern Channel
General Manager Rick Settoon. “This shows that not only are they all producing outstanding
television work, they’re excelling in the classroom as well. The Emmy committee has
rightly recognized their mature career goals and bright futures in television. We’re
extremely proud of them and happy that this generous scholarship will help finance
their continued education and development.”
The Southeastern Channel has won over 300 awards in the past 14 years, including
15 awards and 56 nominations from the Emmys. The channel can be seen on Charter 199
in Tangipahoa, St. Tammany and Livingston parishes. The live 24/7 webcast and video
on demand can be seen at www.southeastern.edu/tv and on mobile devices at www.southeastern.edu/tv/live.
