Success Stories

MatadorU students and alumni are increasingly recognized for their accomplishments. Here are a few recent success stories:

Alumni Success Stories

• MatadorU writing student Rachel Edgar was hired as Features Reporter at the Gillette News Record in Wyoming, USA in winter 2011.
• MatadorU photography student Laura Cook won the 2011 Guardian “Been there” Photo of the Year award.
• MatadorU writing student Rebecca Ashton won The Sydney Telegraph’s travel writing contest in December 2011.
• MatadorU photography student Laura Cook won the November 2011 Guardian “Been there” photo contest; two additional MatadorU students, Stephen Chapman and Genevieve Hathaway, also placed in the contest.
• Multiple MatadorU photography students, including Nevenka Lukin and Emanuele Siracusa, had their photos selected as “Editor’s Choice” picks in the 2011 National Geographic photography contest.
• Biju Sukumaran and Lydia Schrandt had an article and photos about Fujian published in Time Out Beijing.
• Megan Wood was contracted by Amble Resorts to write a series of articles about Belize.
• Megan Wood’s article “Tagging Wild Crocodiles in Belize” was published by Vice.
• JoAnna Haugen’s article on dog sledding in Jamaica was published in the December 2011 issue of Caribbean Travel + Life.
• Karen Leperi won multiple awards from the Atlantic Caribbean Chapter of Society of American Travel Writers, including Best Magazine Article, U.S. Travel; Best Magazine Article, Foreign Travel; and Best Self-Illustrated Article in the writing category, and an honorable mention in the humor category of the photography awards.
• Thais Chalencon and Silvia Beatriz Machado de Araujo are hired by Fodor’s to update parts of Fodor’s Brazil.
• Lisa Bergren wins Grantourismo writing competition.
• Carina Port wins awards for photography and writing from the Outdoor Writers’ Association.
• Reeti Roy wins Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship.
• Mary Richardson wins second place in Transisitons Abroad 2010 Expat Travel Writing Contest.
• Nancy Harder is hired as Wilmington, NC’s vegetarian restaurant reviewer for theexaminer.com.
• Abbie Mood is hired as Planet Eye’s Orange County (CA) Local Expert, and is hired as managing editor of a website on running.
• JoAnna Haugen is hired as managing editor of Journeys Beyond Travel.
• Amiee Maxwell is hired as Nile Guide’s Salt Lake City Local expert.
• Candice Walsh is hired as associate editor at Matador Life.
• Nick Rowlands wins Trazzler’s City Guide contest, is hired as Nile Guide’s Cairo Local Expert, and is mentioned on Huffington Post as a cool travel twitterer.
• Joannaline Young is hired as Planet Eye’s LA Local expert in December 2009.
• Aloha Lavina gets a 10-page color photofeature and cover on Bangkok 101 Magazine.
• Lily Lebawit publishes photos in Lonely Planet magazine.
• Doriana Briguglio wins Guide Gecko contest 2010.
• Huiting Lim takes second place in Guide Gecko contest 2010.
• Grashina is published in The Expeditioner.
• Lily Lebawit is a finalist in a Guardian photo competition.
• Heather Carreiro wins the 2010 International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association’s scholarship and is hired as editor of Matador Abroad.