Patriot Talon selects business coordinator

Jacque Hilburn-Simmons, an award-winning East Texas journalist, has been named the new business coordinator for the Patriot Talon, the student newspaper at the University.

As coordinator, her duties involve overseeing the advertising and circulation departments for the weekly newspaper that serves Tyler, Longview, and Palestine campuses.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to support young people as they carve out a niche for themselves in a very dynamic and challenging career path,” Hilburn-Simmons said.

Hilburn-Simmons, 45, of Tyler, has been a professional reporter/writer for more than 20 years — receiving more than two dozen awards for her work, including investigative reporting and Freedom of Information.

In recent years, the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors Association/Headliner’s Foundation named her “Star Reporter of the Year” in medium market newspapers. She also was part of team of Tyler Morning Telegraph reporters who earned the Texas APME/FOI Award for efforts to uphold citizens’ rights to public information.

She also has been honored by the Dallas Press Club as a Katie Award winner and by the Texas Press Association, North and East Texas Press Association and International Association of Fire Fighters.

“Jacque is a well-rounded reporter and writer who has a great desire to share her experiences with the next generation of journalists,” adviser Vanessa Curry said. “We are fortunate to have her join our team.”

She is a 1988 journalism graduate of East Texas State University, now Texas A&M-Commerce.

She is planning to begin work this fall on her master’s degree at the University.