The top five winners of each category from the competition then got to fly out to San Francisco to participate in the Hearst National Radio Broadcast News Championship, which is where Berry finished in first place in the category of radio news and was awarded a $5,000 scholarship. Berry said MSU was also awarded $5,000 for her first place finish.

Berry, a radio host of WKAR- “Current State Weekend,” said some other benefits that come with winning the championship is the amazing opportunity to experience and meet other journalists from across the country.

“I was the only student from my school who was there,” Berry said. “A big part of the greatness to my achievements was that this event is a big deal in a lot of other colleges and journalism schools. So it was really cool to represent my school against these other schools who usually attend this event and have a tradition in winning.”

Geri Zeldes, an associate professor in MSU’s School of Journalism, said the Hearst National Radio Broadcast News Championship is the ultimate college media competition in the country. Zeldes said she pushed Berry to enter the competition because she knew she could win.

“The most amazing characteristic about Emanuele is that she is super creative, she knows how to tell a story that is unique and makes sense, and her grasp of using natural sound helps her tell an affective story for her listeners,” Zeldes said.

Ed Glazer, the general manager of Impact 89FM, said Berry essentially built a news station from ground up when she worked with him when she was a student at Impact 89FM.

“When I think of the idea of the Spartan Will, Berry is the perfect example of someone who is living that out as a recent graduate,” Glazer said. “She has that will that really represents the best of what MSU has to offer.”