Clifton Barnes, a 1982 UNC-Chapel Hill grad with majors in journalism and political science, has won a pair of national writing awards including one for an article in Carolina’s alumni magazine.
Barnes won the awards, presented by DC area-based Communications Concepts through its 2009 Awards for Publication Excellence competition, for articles he wrote for the American Bar Association’s Bar Leader magazine and UNC’s Carolina Alumni Review magazine.
The Carolina Alumni Review article, titled “Family Law,” won in the Best Personal Profiles category. Judges felt that Barnes succeeded in providing rare insight into the Cherokee justice system. They also said Barnes was able to make the reader feel the bond between father and son justices and the growing trust and respect between the white justices and the Cherokee Nation.
One judge wrote, "A moving and interesting father-son profile, this feature article pulls readers in and keeps them involved until the end. An excellent example of the storyteller's art."
The ABA article, titled “Being Green Becomes Mainstream,” won in the Best Climate Change Writing category. Judges felt that Barnes was informative and detailed with a refreshingly balanced and fair presentation of a sometimes controversial topic.
One judge wrote, "This clearly written article focuses on practical applications of going green, with much emphasis on sustainability, benefits for both the law firm and community, and no emphasis on sanctimonious preaching."
Award officials said there were 3,785 entries in the contest and that competition was “exceptionally intense.” The awards are based on excellence in writing, quality of content and the success of the entry in achieving overall communications effectiveness.
Barnes, who has now won more than 70 journalism awards, served as director of communications for the N.C. Bar Association from 1987 to 2002 and, before that, was a newspaper writer and editor. He served as sports editor of the Daily Tar Heel while in college.
Today Barnes is a freelance writer, editor and Web developer in Cary, NC. Along with his wife Andrea, he raises their three-year-old son Will Griffin.
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12/09 |
