Darcie Shinberger, University Relations director, received the Distinguished Alumna of the Year award because of her professional accomplishments and continued dedication to Western Illinois University.

Her role of supervising the University's public relations program includes working with media outlets, community leaders, state and federal officials, University administrators, students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as the public. She is the University spokesperson and is responsible for crisis communication management.

Shinberger also supervises the Visual Production Center (VPC), a WIU service center that provides photographic and other visual presentations for faculty, staff and students in support of the institution's mission, as well as to alumni and community organizations.

She also serves as a writer, host and producer of the public affairs program, "Campus and Community," on University Television/Macomb Cable Channel 3 and is the host of the weekly radio show, "Communit! y Conversation," on WKAI/WLRB in Macomb.

She earned her bachelor's degree in mass communications (1989) and a master's degree in college student personnel from Western (1998). She also has a master's degree in global human resource development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2004).

Awards were presented to the following students listed by county:

Hancock County
Warsaw – Ryan Thomas, a senior broadcasting major and graphic communication minor, was among two students who received the best sports package award. He also received the best radio play-by-play announcer award.

McDonough County
Macomb – Quintin Parker, a senior broadcasting major and music business minor, received the best radio color announcer, best radio or TV script, best feature/public affairs radio production and best video color announcer awards;
John Stout, a junior broadcasting major and music business minor, was among a group of four to receive the Broadcasting 101 best video project award;
Varqa Buehrer, a senior broadcasting major and music minor, received the best video promotional production award.