Two USU Faculty Win Regional Emmy for TV News

PHOENIX, Arizona — It’s one of the biggest nights for TV news awards and two Utah State University professors brought home gold.

At the 47th Annual Rocky Mountain Regional Emmy Awards, Professor Brian Champagne and Assistant Professor Erin Cox won for their work in the Diversity / Equity / Inclusion News category.

The two came together in 2023 to uncover how Utah’s lowrider communities have turned stereotypes against them into a way to help struggling teens.

“It’s a story that needed to be told, and Champagne and I poured our hearts into this piece,” Cox said.

It all started with Champagne’s pitch — a phone call to Cox while she was at KSL 5 News — about a possible story involving tacos, lowrider cars and the need for community.

Cox and Champagne researched the lowrider community and connected with Connie Medina, a lowrider club member.

“Connie told us that lowriding saved her life and I knew we had to share her story in hopes of helping others,” Cox said.

After months of preparation, Champagne brought five cameras to a lowrider car show with Connie and other club members there.

With Cox as reporter and Champagne as photographer, the two made a dream team.

“What was great about working together is we understood where we were both coming from,” Champagne said. “I knew what I needed to shoot so she could tell the story. She knew what it took to get those shots.”

A month and four drafts later, KSL 5 News aired the story.

“To share stories like Connie’s is an honor and a service to the community Champagne and I take seriously,” Cox said. “Receiving recognition on a regional level is just the cherry on top.”

It wasn’t just the Aggie professors who won; five of Champagne’s former students were nominated and three awarded.

Kelton Wells, a producer for PBS Utah, received four nominations in the Interview / Discussion and was awarded for his work on “Roots, Race and Culture.”

Nathaniel Gillis, photographer for KSTU Fox 13 was nominated and awarded in the Arts / Entertainment News for his story “Napoleon Dynamite: 20 Years Later.”

Two Aggies from Good 4 Utah / KTVX were nominated: Sarah Murphy as a reporter for “A Senior Scrabble Love Story” in the Human Interest News category, and Jill Hodson as a producer for “Finding the Good Things in Moab” in the Lifestyle category.

Cox received a second nomination as a reporter and producer uncovering “Utah Voices: Diné Nation” in the Historical / Cultural / Religion News category.

“It just shows the quality and drive that Aggies bring to USU and the business,” Champagne said.

As one of his former students, Cox said their award holds extra meaning.

“It always feels good to win, but to take home an award with my former professor and now colleague is as good as it gets,” Cox said. “It shows the power of a devoted mentor who inspires and works with his students long after they’ve left the university.

Champagne worked as a photographer in TV news for more than 20 years and received three regional Emmys and five nominations.

After graduating from USU, Cox worked as a multimedia journalist and reporter in TV news for six years and received two regional Emmys and six nominations.