The School of Communication and Arts was proudly represented at the prestigious 2025 Queensland Clarion Awards on Saturday, 18 October 2025, at the Sofitel Brisbane Central. Head of School Professor Jenna Ng had the honour of presenting the Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism award to retired Nine News presenter Andrew Lofthouse, recognising his exceptional career in broadcast journalism. The milestone 30th anniversary celebration brought together Queensland's finest media professionals for a black-tie gala dinner that showcased the very best in journalistic excellence across the state.
The event saw an impressive turnout of more than 330 entries across 28 categories with judges commenting on the exceptionally high standard of work submitted. UQ had strong representation among the finalists, with current student Chloe Bell and recent graduate Jiselle Manning both nominated in the highly competitive Most Outstanding Final Year Journalism Student category for their impressive bodies of work. The university's impact on Queensland journalism was further evident in the Rural Journalism category, where UQ graduates Grace Nakamura and Hannah Walsh were recognised as finalists for their compelling coverage.
Members of UQ's journalism cohort were in attendance to support their peers, celebrating not only three decades of the Clarion Awards' commitment to recognising outstanding contributions to journalism, but also the strong connection between UQ's Communication Arts program and the broader Queensland media landscape.
