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HuffPost UK's Student Journalist Stories Of The Year 2014

HuffPost UK's Student Journalist Stories Of The Year
Lucy Sherriff
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Protests, politics and perhaps the beginning of the end of lad culture - it's been a busy year for students.

The Scottish Referendum saw young people involved in politics like never before, while young people are already gearing up for next year's general election and galvanising their peers to vote. This year also saw students jump into action to defend their campuses from invasive police forces, with the Warwick University protest inspiring shows of support across the country.

But it's not just politics driving students; welfare and culture played a huge part in shaping the 2014 landscape. Mental health was a huge sticking point for young people. Publications ran pieces on personal battles against depression, they covered campaigns for better funding and support and gave students an opportunity to banish stigma.

And we couldn't round up this year without mentioning the F word. Feminism has grown unbelievably thanks to the support of student media. Whether its coverage of lad culture-style societies or giving the movement a voice, it's played a huge role in establishing that feminism is here to stay.

So we're continuing our tradition of rounding up the best student journalist stories from this year. From blogs to broadcast, features to FOIs, a lot of incredible content produced

It has been really hard to narrow it down to 20 entries, with a fair few hours spent deliberating over what should go in, what would have to come out to make space.

But, in no particular order, here are the 20 student journalist stories HuffPost UK voted as the best in 2014.

Student Journalism 2014
Police Violence At Warwick Protest - Rebecca Myers, Casey Davison(01 of18)
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Picked up by numerous national news outlets, The Boar's coverage of the Warwick University student protests was second to none.Rebecca says she wanted the coverage to rival that of the nationals - and that it did.Read the full coverage here.
A Remarkable Story Of Recovery - Harrison Jones(02 of18)
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Harrison talked to Issy Bailey, an Exeter student who had dreams of playing hockey at national level before a car crash broke her back and paralysed her from the waist down.Harrison has managed to skillfully portray Issy's take on life; positive, fiercely anti-pity and marvelously down to earth. Read the full interview here.
Asexuality - Samantha Booth(03 of18)
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Samantha spoke to a 22-year-old graduate who identified as asexual and laid bare the highs and lows of being asexual.The Swansea University student demonstrated commendable respect of her interview subject and admirable maturity in tackling a relatively obscure issue.Read the full interview here.
University Exploits Its Own Students - Tom Schneider(04 of18)
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An investigation carried out by Forge Press found student employees were being underpaid by Sheffield University thanks to the institution exploiting a legal loophole. There were also claims students had been banned from speaking to press.Tom's perseverance of the story amid accusations of students being hushed up is a stellar example of investigative journalism.Read the full story here.
The Birth Of Yesism - David Knowles(05 of18)
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The Durham University student's take on the SNP's rally in Glasgow went viral across Scotland and was picked up by numerous academics.Knowles' commentary was both insightful and refreshing.Read the full piece here.
The Controversial World Of Escorting - Delara Shakib(06 of18)
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Escorting is often condemned for exploiting women - but this in-depth interview with a fellow University of London student turned that notion on its head. Exploring the world of dates for cash, Delara's feature poses a surprising new question - who is really being exploited here?Read the full piece here.
Exposing Controversial Links With Tobacco Companies - Zack Ferriday, Ben Wilson, Geena Molinaro(07 of18)
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King's College London's controversial shares in tobacco companies was brought to light by the Roar News team. Tireless work by the team found £2.2m of the university's money was indirectly invested in tobacco, despite a pledge not to buy such shares.Read the full story here.
How Bristol University Is Tackling Rape Culture - Zahra Wynne(08 of18)
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In her feature on the unwillingness to recognise rape culture, Bristol University student Zahra Wynne not only discusses pressing issues and relating them to students, but also investigates what her institution is doing to tackle the problem.Read the full piece here.
A Culture Of Thinness - Hannah Butler, Harrison Jones, Gemma Joyce, Emily Leahy, Vanessa Tracey(09 of18)
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Research by student paper Exposé revealed two thirds of students were concerned by a friend's eating habits. The reporters' ability to tackle a highly sensitive issue should be commended, as should their attempt to publicise a problem affecting a large number of the student population.Read the full report here.
5,460 Hours Of Unpaid Work - Callum Mason, Alex Shaw(10 of18)
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Following The Student's report on an Edinburgh business advertising thousands of hours of unpaid work, the company was reported to HMRC and the unpaid "work experience" positions withdrawn.Thanks to Callum and Alex's tenacity in pursuing the story, as well as gaining a comment from Jo Swinson MP, this piece showed just how student journalism can make a difference.Read the full story here.
Brushing Mental Health Under The Carpet - Oliver Carter-Esdale(11 of18)
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Oliver's account of his experiences of mental health are frank. Bravely documenting his journey through depression, which ended up with Oliver ready to end his own life, the Bristol University student lays bare his battle for anyone to read - and urges others to act and help those suffering from mental health issues. An incredibly powerful piece.Read Oliver's blog here.
Universities Secretly Serving Halal - Harry Yorke(12 of18)
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Writing for The Tab, Harry revealed several universities across the UK were serving Halal meat to unaware students. The research, which was picked up by several nationals, came at a time when the practice of serving unlabelled Halal was hotly debated. The sheer amount of context and work put into this article, as well as the effort to give students a voice in the debate, made it a shoo-in on our list.Read the full article here.
Students Taught Necrophiliac Chants - Sarah Dear, Louisa Chenciner, Jacob Bentley(13 of18)
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The exclusive video of first year students being taught a necrophiliac chant by university reps was picked up nationwide. The trio tracked down students featured in the video, and put the hard graft in to confirm the chant, while presenting a fair, balanced piece. The article, which forms an important part in the battle against lad culture, led to the student reps being disciplined, which consequently prompted further debate. Read the full piece here.
Undercover Reporter Films Banned Initiation - James Beeson, Harrison Jones, Gemma Joyce(14 of18)
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An undercover reporter filmed a banned initiation-style event at Exeter University, breaking the AU's code of conduct. The report claims freshers were intimidated and forced to kiss a dead eel. Much has been written about university lad culture but these reporters lived up to their paper's name and exposed it for their fellow students' - and the world - to see.Read the full piece here.
Fraternity Jokes About Raping Students - Sarah Manavis, Thurston Smalley(15 of18)
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Leaked minutes from an Edinburgh University fraternity meeting revealed society members joking about raping fellow students. The shocking revelations were picked up by national media across the UK. The courage and determination to publish the story played an important part in the battle against lad culture on campus - and led to the society being investigated.Read the full story here.
What's At Stake For Students? - Bridie Pearson-Jones(16 of18)
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For most students, the imminent general election will be the first time they have voted. But politics can be a murky, complicated world if you've never stepped foot into it before. Which is why Bridie's breakdown of what's at stake for students is particularly insightful. Writing for her local audience, her analysis of what each of the parties has to offer is an invaluable asset to any student considering putting their vote to good use.Read the full piece here.
Greed Undermines University Education - Carlo Kureishi(17 of18)
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Carlo paints a picture of students jostling for space in the library, saving seats for friends as they would sunloungers, amid a competitive - and greedy - higher education landscape. The Bristol University student's analysis of current situation is in-depth, yet digestible, academic, yet written for a wide audience. It's a highly commendable commentary on a situation faced by many, if not most, students.Read the full piece here.
Freedom Of Speech - Tim Squirrell(18 of18)
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Freedom of speech is still a hotly contest topic. Is free speech under assault when controversial debates on campus are cancelled? The argument reared its head in November after the Oxford Students for Life debate on abortion was cancelled - not least because it was a panel full of men. Cambridge University student Tim Squirrell decided to square up to critics of the decision and explain exactly what constitutes freedom of speech. Calm and collected, Tim walks his readers through a convincing, rational argument, explaining when it is appropriate to draw the line. Whatever your thoughts on the matter, it's almost impossible not to find yourself nodding along in agreement - which is probably why Tim is also president of the Cambridge Union.Read the full piece here.
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