Essex graduate Kat Williams has just been named Student Journalist of the Year
University of Essex graduate Kat Williams has been named Student Journalist of the Year by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council.
Kat, who studied BSc Molecular Cell Biology at Essex before moving onto Falmouth University for a Masters in Multimedia Broadcast Journalism, excelled at the awards, winning the Steve Harris Award for Student Journalist of the Year. She was also runner-up in the TV documentary category for her documentary Without a Diagnosis, which explores the stories behind children with undiagnosed genetic conditions
While studying at Essex, Kat was unit leader of the St John Ambulance LINKS unit and member of the student television channel SX:TV. At SX:TV she produced a documentary nominated for the National Student Television Awards.
Dr Julie Lloyd, from the School of Biological Sciences, who was Kate's lecturer in genetics at Essex is one of the people interviewed in the documentary.
"I had no idea it was coming, I am honoured to have been nominated, let alone to win such a prestigious award. Its brilliant, not just for me but for all those involved in the documentary. The fact that more people will get to see it, and with that awareness will spread - its brilliant!"
The awards, which celebrate student journalism across the UK, were held in St Mary's Guildhall in Coventry and were compered by BBC political correspondent Chris Mason.
Rachel Corp, news editor for ITV news and chair of the judging panel said Without a Diagnosis was: "An excellent programme, powerful and deeply moving. Kat has found three wonderful families as case studies and she handles the interviews sensitively and skillfully. At the end of the piece I felt genuinely enlightened."
The award recognised Kat's use of blogging, social media and marketing throughout production. Without a Diagnosis has been viewed by nearly 4,000 people in 46 countries worldwide. It aims to promote awareness of undiagnosed genetic conditions and the vital work of charity Syndromes Without a Name and the Deciphering Developmental Disorders study based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge.
The BJTC is a registered charity and the largest accreditation body for broadcast journalism in the UK. It has patnerships with major news organisations including BBC, Sky, ITV and Associated Press.
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Kat Williams (Journalist)