2019 Quills: MPC Student Journalist of the Year


Liam Petterson of University of Melbourne won the 2019 Student Journalist of the Year award for ‘IBM Australia to roll out neurodiversity program, hiring people with autism to fill variety of IT roles’.

Judges' citation

Liam Pettersen’s story showed excellent news instincts and initiative. While interning with ABC Radio Ballarat, Liam spotted the potential for a story in a job ad for IBM. The company was seeking up to ten candidates with autism for their neurodiversity program. Liam demonstrated strong research and reporting skills to craft a human story which attracted national attention.

The winning entry

'IBM Australia to roll out neurodiversity program, hiring people with autism to fill variety of IT roles', ABC News, 2 April 2019

Breakfast radio package


Other finalists

Nazli Bahmani, University of Melbourne, Jumping Hurdles To Provide A Little Humanity to Asylum Seekers In Limbo

Freia Lily, RMIT, Interview with Wilma and Meg Curnow For National Dementia Awareness Month

Julia Montesano, La Trobe UniversityRevealed: Blues Star Headlines Small AFLW Groups’ Pay and Conditions Fight

Ciaran O’Mahony, University of Melbourne, The Scottish Explorer Who Became The Butcher Of Gippsland

Andrea Thiis-Evensen, Monash University, ‘It Was The Worst Day Of Our Lives’: Bereaved Parents Say We Must Talk About Youth Suicide

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Membership is $100 for journalists, $150 for associate members and $40 for students.

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