CI Editors Win Prestigious Award Two Years Running
Viebeck to Follow in Wilson's Footsteps
Linnea Powell
Last Updated: 8/20/08 Section: Campus
The Claremont Independent has started a new streak: for the second straight year, a former editor has won the prestigious Eric Breindel Award for Excellence in Journalism. On July 15, Elise Viebeck, CMC '10, was presented the award, following in the footsteps of John Wilson, CMC '07, who won the award one year ago.
The Breindel Award is perhaps the most prestigious undergraduate award for college journalism. The award, named in honor of Eric Breindel, the former editorial page editor for the New York Post, is given to the student whose writings best exemplify "love of country and its democratic institutions, as well as the act of bearing witness to the evils of totalitarianism." It is accompanied by a $10,000 award and an internship with either the New York Post or Fox News.
Viebeck won the award for an article detailing the actions of Jonathan Petropoulos, a CMC history professor and former director of CMC's Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights. Petropoulos was enlisted to locate a Pissaro painting looted by Nazis in Vienna in 1938, but soon exhibited questionable behavior when he insisted on receiving compensation for his work before he would return it to its rightful owner.
Petropoulos has since resigned as director of the Center. Viebeck's story may have been particularly poignant for the Breindel family, considering that Eric Breindel's parents are Holocaust survivors.
The piece was the result of more than five months of research and over fifty interviews. "The experience took a personal toll in some ways," says Viebeck. "But without it I wouldn't have understood the journalistic process or the gravity of journalism itself. It also introduced me to investigative reporting, which combines writing and research in a way I find compelling."
Viebeck credits her experience in writing the article with inspiring her to become a journalist. "Before I wrote this piece, I had never considered journalism as a career," Viebeck says. "I hesitated to even send it to the Breindel Foundation because I wasn't sure that the piece met the award's criteria. Now I'm obviously very happy to have taken the chance."
John Wilson was also unsure of what his future would hold before he won his award. He wrote an article for the CI titled "Finding Burke among the Street Sleepers," a thoughtful account of his time in the company of the London poor.
Winning the Breindel award launched Wilson head-on into a career in journalism: after his internship at the Post was completed, they hired him full time as an associate editorial page editor. Wilson now expects to work in journalism for the next few years. "The Breindel Award is the reason I have a journalism career," says Wilson. Viebeck will intern at the Post next summer.
Wilson also has another distinction under his belt: he won best Government thesis in 2007. Many of his peers and professors agree that he is one of the best writers to graduate from CMC and the CI.
This is the third year the Breindel prize has been awarded at the undergraduate level, with the first undergraduate prize going to a Columbia University student. The 2008 undergraduate Breindel Award received more applicants than ever before, even outnumbering those for the professional award.
Martin Singerman, former publisher of the New York Post, told the Claremont Independent that the odds of two CI editors winning the award in a row are similar to "winning the lottery." He said the judges are independent and simply picked the best young journalist and only later realized the connection.
The ceremony to honor Viebeck was a luncheon in a private dining room at News Corporation. Viebeck spoke at the luncheon about her experience in writing the article and on Breindel's legacy. Eric Breindel's mother, Sonia, attended the ceremony, as did John Wilson.
While CMC did issue a press release when Wilson won the award, the college has not yet issued one regarding Viebeck's award, possibly because of the controversial nature of Viebeck's winning piece. Nevertheless, Evie Lazzarino, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, claims that her award "will be covered." Whether or not CMC issues a release, the Claremont Independent has much to be proud of.
Linnea Powell is a freshman at CMC and a deputy publisher of the CI.
The Breindel Award is perhaps the most prestigious undergraduate award for college journalism. The award, named in honor of Eric Breindel, the former editorial page editor for the New York Post, is given to the student whose writings best exemplify "love of country and its democratic institutions, as well as the act of bearing witness to the evils of totalitarianism." It is accompanied by a $10,000 award and an internship with either the New York Post or Fox News.
Viebeck won the award for an article detailing the actions of Jonathan Petropoulos, a CMC history professor and former director of CMC's Center for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights. Petropoulos was enlisted to locate a Pissaro painting looted by Nazis in Vienna in 1938, but soon exhibited questionable behavior when he insisted on receiving compensation for his work before he would return it to its rightful owner.
Petropoulos has since resigned as director of the Center. Viebeck's story may have been particularly poignant for the Breindel family, considering that Eric Breindel's parents are Holocaust survivors.
The piece was the result of more than five months of research and over fifty interviews. "The experience took a personal toll in some ways," says Viebeck. "But without it I wouldn't have understood the journalistic process or the gravity of journalism itself. It also introduced me to investigative reporting, which combines writing and research in a way I find compelling."
Viebeck credits her experience in writing the article with inspiring her to become a journalist. "Before I wrote this piece, I had never considered journalism as a career," Viebeck says. "I hesitated to even send it to the Breindel Foundation because I wasn't sure that the piece met the award's criteria. Now I'm obviously very happy to have taken the chance."
John Wilson was also unsure of what his future would hold before he won his award. He wrote an article for the CI titled "Finding Burke among the Street Sleepers," a thoughtful account of his time in the company of the London poor.
Winning the Breindel award launched Wilson head-on into a career in journalism: after his internship at the Post was completed, they hired him full time as an associate editorial page editor. Wilson now expects to work in journalism for the next few years. "The Breindel Award is the reason I have a journalism career," says Wilson. Viebeck will intern at the Post next summer.
Wilson also has another distinction under his belt: he won best Government thesis in 2007. Many of his peers and professors agree that he is one of the best writers to graduate from CMC and the CI.
This is the third year the Breindel prize has been awarded at the undergraduate level, with the first undergraduate prize going to a Columbia University student. The 2008 undergraduate Breindel Award received more applicants than ever before, even outnumbering those for the professional award.
Martin Singerman, former publisher of the New York Post, told the Claremont Independent that the odds of two CI editors winning the award in a row are similar to "winning the lottery." He said the judges are independent and simply picked the best young journalist and only later realized the connection.
The ceremony to honor Viebeck was a luncheon in a private dining room at News Corporation. Viebeck spoke at the luncheon about her experience in writing the article and on Breindel's legacy. Eric Breindel's mother, Sonia, attended the ceremony, as did John Wilson.
While CMC did issue a press release when Wilson won the award, the college has not yet issued one regarding Viebeck's award, possibly because of the controversial nature of Viebeck's winning piece. Nevertheless, Evie Lazzarino, Associate Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications, claims that her award "will be covered." Whether or not CMC issues a release, the Claremont Independent has much to be proud of.
Linnea Powell is a freshman at CMC and a deputy publisher of the CI.
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