Journalism and Media Student Pierce Gentry Places Second in Hearst Audio Competition
Journalism and Media senior Pierce Gentry embraces Joy Lambert, a resident of Hampton, Tennessee, who lost her home to flooding caused by Hurricane Helene. Gentry reported from rural communities in East Tennessee during the aftermath of the storm for WUOT 91.9fm and NPR. (Justin Hicks / KPR)
School of Journalism and Media senior and WUOT 91.9 FM reporter Pierce Gentry has earned second place in the Hearst Journalism Awards Program’s 2024-2025 Hearst Audio Competition.
“I can’t begin to express in words how it feels to be recognized on such a national scale and by such a prestigious organization,” Gentry said. “This is one of those jobs that can simultaneously be very connecting but also very isolating. We don’t get a lot of recognition, and that’s fine, but that just makes when you do get those moments of recognition extra special.”
The Hearst Journalism Awards is a nationally recognized program that honors colleges and students that produce exceptional work in the field of journalism and media. The program offers 14 competitions annually awarding up to $700,000 in scholarships, matching grants, and stipends.
Gentry will receive a $2,000 scholarship and a matching grant for the School of Journalism and Media for his second-place finish. His placement also qualifies him for an all-expense paid trip to San Francisco to compete in the National Audio Championship in June. While there, he will compete against other college journalists in on-the-spot reporting assignments and for a top prize of up to $10,000.
“It’s technically a competition, but I like to see it as working with other audio journalists from across the nation to see what they also produce,” Gentry said. “I love listening to other people’s work and learning from others, so I’m really excited by the opportunity to meet and grow alongside these other great audio reporters from across the country.”
Gentry said he has met past Hearst Award winners, and their creativity and passion has been a source of inspiration for him. He just never imagined one day being one of them.
“It is astounding what Pierce has been able to accomplish as a student journalist,” School of Journalism and Media Director Amy Jo Coffey said. “The Hearst Awards are sometimes referred to as ‘The Pulitzers of college journalism.’— and to achieve the results he did is a testament not just to his professional-level talent but to his hard work and dedication to serving his community by telling impactful stories.”
Born and raised in Knoxville, Gentry has aspired to have a career in journalism since getting his first taste of the industry via The Bobcat Times at Knoxville’s Central High School—which is also one of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s 52 designated Flagship high schools throughout the state. His grandfather was also a source of inspiration for him to get into journalism and one of the driving forces in his life that instilled within him a passion for local journalism.
Gentry started working at WUOT-FM as a practicum student. They were so impressed with his work that the East Tennessee NPR member station hired him as a reporter where he has since covered everything from breaking news to investigative pieces.
Stories judged for the Hearst Audio Competition were his coverage of the impact of Hurricane Helene on East Tennessee and a feature on the Plein Air Smokies event organized by the non-profit organization Friends of the Smokies.
His work has garnered him other accolades such as three first-place awards in the radio category at the 2025 Southeast Journalism Conference and a second-place win in the 2025 Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts Radio Hard News Reporting category for student journalists.
Gentry feels blessed to have had mentorship, support, and hands-on opportunities at the School of Journalism and Media. He said those things have helped him, ‘just a local boy from Knoxville,’ chase his dream of working in the news industry, and he hopes his story is an inspiration to other UT journalists as he prepares to graduate in May.
“I just hope that the next generation of young student journalists coming in will know that they are capable of doing great things,” Gentry said. “All it takes is dedication to the community you serve, dedication to ethical reporting, and a commitment to telling other people’s stories in the best way possible.”
Journalism and Media Student Pierce Gentry Places Second in Hearst Audio Competition written by Ernest Rollins and originally published on the College of Communication & Information site.