The College of Communication was awarded a college Emmy by the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences on Nov. 19. The award was for Best College Student Production – News: General Assignment.

The winning video project, “Diederich Ideas; Reporting from the Front Line,” was about foreign correspondents working in a post-9/11 world. It was developed by students from pre- to post-production and was a forum for students to take what they had learned in the classroom and apply their skills into a single project.

Peter Aksamit, a senior in the College of Communication and associate director and camera operator for Diederich Ideas, said he was thrilled about winning the Emmy.

“When I heard we were nominated, I was ecstatic, but when I heard them call our name at the award ceremony, I couldn’t believe it,” Aksamit said in an email. “Knowing that I helped on something that was deemed worthy of a student Emmy award is a huge honor and is something that I can put on my resume to help with my future career.”

April Newton, an instructor in the College of Communication, was a faculty advisor for the program.

“It means everything,” Newton said. “It’s one thing to feel like you’re doing something really tremendous, and it’s one thing to know that you’re creating something that’s good, that students have had a great experience and a great learning opportunity.”

Diederich Ideas also produced another project, titled “Diederich Ideas: What’s So Funny?” Newton said both will be remembered not just for winning an award but for the experiences themselves.

“I had one student come up to me and say, ‘If I never do anything ever again in my entire life, that might be the coolest thing I’ve ever done and may ever do,’” Newton said. “To hear people say that is awesome.”

Aksamit said he believes the award and the Diederich Ideas project will make a difference for the college’s future students.

“I am proud to say I helped work on and develop Diederich Ideas while at Marquette, and I hope that I helped lay the groundwork for future students to hopefully bring home more awards in the future,” Aksamit said.

Following the project, Diederich Ideas became an upper-level class within the College of Communication this semester and will focus on producing a sports-based show pilot that could run on Time Warner Cable.

Newton said she believes Diederich Ideas will leave a legacy within the college.

“(The students) are responsible for this,” Newton said. “They’re responsible for the success, they’re responsible for the continued support from the college and they’re responsible for winning the Emmy.”