After working on the application process for months, senior and editor-in-chief Talia Lissauer put together a portfolio that would win her the title of Minnesota Journalist of the Year. According to Lissauer, she had heard about it from a peer last year. 

“Last year a good friend of mine and someone who trained me into the place I am now had applied and won Minnesota (Journalist of the Year),” Lissauer said. “After seeing how far she had gone, I decided I would give it a shot.”

According to Lissauer’s Echo advisor and teacher Lori Keekley, the most challenging part of the application process was creating a portfolio.

“She had to put together a portfolio of nine to 10 areas. Everything from leadership to law and ethics, design, photo and writing. She had to have representation from all of these,” Keekley said.

Lissauer said she had no idea if she would win or not, but was happy with her submission nevertheless.

“I obviously worked as hard as I could to get it, but in the end, it didn’t matter,” Lissauer said. “Being in a place where I felt qualified enough to submit it was good enough for me.”

According to sophomore Echo staffer Katie Nelson, winning Minnesota Journalist of the Year is a big accomplishment to be proud of. 

“It’s really impressive and I’m happy for her. It’s great for the Echo community as well seeing that we have had two winners now,” Nelson said.

Keekley said it was very heartwarming and exciting seeing Lissauer win this award.

“I was really, really excited for her because she had worked so hard putting her portfolio together,” Keekley said.

Lissauer said the moment she found out she had won she was filled with exhilaration and joy. 

“It was an overwhelming sense of excitement and happiness that overcame me because everyone around me was happy and celebrating with me,” Lissauer said.

According to Lissauer, she had originally joined Echo just to work on her writing skills, but discovered a newfound passion in journalism.

“After writing one of my first stories I knew that it was going to be more than just improving my writing skills,” Lissauer said. “I did not ever expect to be in a place where I could have examples from every different aspect of journalism. My sophomore self would be shocked.”