Student journalist Kloe Witt was awarded the 2023 Mark of Excellence national achievement by the Society of Professional Journalism for her revelatory article on Loyola’s production of “God Help Them if We Wake Up”. 

An original play by professor Ann Mahoney sparked controversy among students and the Loyola community.

“When we heard about the issues going on, I knew it was something we needed to look into,” Witt said. 

Witt brought light to students’ voices in her nearly 2000 word article, “Behind the curtains: Theatre production sparks outrage and community disapproval.”

“When writing the story, I really was looking to tell the stories of those in the department who felt their voices weren’t being heard. That’s all any of this is about, uplifting those voices,” Witt said. 

Witt said that students expressed feeling validated in her article. 

“After I wrote the story, I had people coming up to me and thanking me for letting everyone know what they had been dealing with. That’s the most rewarding part.”