A JMU Journalism student has beaten off hundreds of applicants to be shortlisted for a prestigious national award.
Cynthia Ajayi produced an audio documentary for her MA final project: ‘Sink or Swim; a Cultural deep Dive’. It has been selected as one of just three across the country to be on the shortlist in the NCTJ’s (National Council for the Training of Journalists) ‘Best Student Project’ category in the Awards for Excellence 2024.
In the documentary, Cynthia explores the statistic that 95% of black British adults don’t swim. Through interviews with swimmers, non-swimmers, coaches and experts, she looks to uncover the cultural, societal and personal barriers that contribute to this figure.
Polly Sharpe, programme leader for MA Journalism, said: “This project was very close to Cynthia’s heart and from the start she was determined to shine a light on this incredibly important – and often under-reported – issue. To have her work shortlisted and recognised in this way is testament to her talent, hard-work and commitment.”
The LJMU Journalism department has an excellent track record with the NCTJ after being named the organisational winner of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award last year. In 2023, another MA student, Jack Kinsella, won ‘Best Student Project’.
The awards will be held in Manchester in April.
The NCTJ Awards for Excellence is returning to @hallestpeters in Manchester, with the ceremony taking place on 4 April ✨
Sponsored by @Reuters, the awards celebrate the achievements of individuals with promising journalism careers ahead of them.
— NCTJ (@NCTJ_news) January 24, 2025