Awards
New York Press Association
Past Presidents' Award for General Excellence - Division II - Second Place (April 2019)
The Great Neck News, which Clausen managed, won second place among its peers for newspaper excellence, receiving praise for its news, features, opinions pieces and overall design.
Spot News Coverage - Division I - Third Place (April 2019)
Honored for coverage of a community mourning the loss of a former fire chief, deputy mayor, and good man.
Politics/Elections Coverage - Honorable Mention (April 2019)
Essentially securing fourth place for political and election related coverage, judges positively panned stories about unfair narratives one-sided mailers cast, how Democrats in Nassau County benefitted from demographic shifts, state Sen. Anna Kaplan's victory, and the continued importance of ground game in electoral success. Teri West and past reporters Luke Torrance and Jed Hendrixson were also named in the honorable mentions.
Rookie Reporter of the Year - Honorable Mention (April 2018)
Judges wrote, "A young reporter and writer with very mature talents. Good range, in terms of her ability to take on different kinds of writing assignments."
Press Club of Long Island
Education Reporting - First Place (June 2019)
Worked as part of an editorial team to be recognized for having the best coverage in education. I took the lead in reporting on differences in school spending, the opt-out rates in school districts, and contributed to a story about how a mass shooting sparked safety reviews across the North Shore of Nassau County.
Crime and Justice Reporting - First Place (June 2019)
Working with a team of reporters, Blank Slate Media won first place for Crime and Justice reporting. My story focused on a Great Neck woman fatally stabbing a tourist from the United Kingdom in her own home.
Government/Politics Reporting - Third Place (June 2019)
My story about how local Democrats benefitted from local demographic shifts and national trends won third place for Government/Politics reporting.
Best Headline - Third Place (June 2019)
"School districts see big pressure, little help from state" was my headline for a story focusing on expected state aid cuts were expected to affect local districts. Blank Slate swept the "Best Headline" category.
Best Feature Photograph - Third Place (June 2017)
Recognized for a photo capturing the victory of Matthew Connors, 11, during a 2016 Junior Triathlon at Amityville Beach for the Amityville Record. The event preceded my graduation from Stony Brook University.
Society of Professional Journalists
Online Opinion and Commentary SPJ Region I Mark of Excellence Finalist (Student) (April 2017)
As opinions editor of the Stony Brook Press in 2016, I penned sweeping commentary on the implications of a Donald Trump presidency. Among the topics were the dangers of demagoguery, "picking political poison," and the perspective of international students on the global implications of his rise. The articles essentially won second place among students in the northeast for Online Opinion and Commentary in the Society of Professional Journalists' student Mark of Excellence competition.
Stony Brook University
Matthew T. Crosson Memorial Scholarship (May 2015)
"Awarded to a full-time junior or senior journalism major who has demonstrated a desire to pursue a career in journalism with a significant interest in public affairs and advancing public discourse. The winner will receive $2,000 toward tuition at Stony Brook University. The recipient will also have the opportunity to intern at Newsday or News 12 Long Island and Newsday.com or participate in a special rotating internship at all three."
Media Service Award (April 2015)
Awarded for longtime involvement as an editor at the Stony Brook Independent, an online student publication.
Dean's List (April 2014 onward)
Stayed on Stony Brook University's honor roll from Spring 2014 all the way to graduation.
Nassau Community College
SUNY Chancellor's Award for Student Excellence (March 2013)
The Chancellor’s Award for Student Excellence honors State University of New York students who have best demonstrated and been recognized for their integration of academic excellence with other aspects of their lives. I stood out among my peers at Nassau for serving as the Vignette's interim editor-in-chief following Superstorm Sandy and features editor, regular participation in blood drives, and maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Leadership Development Award (April 2013)
Presented by the Office of Student Activities, this award recognizes a member of the graduating class who has demonstrated the most growth in a student leadership position.
Who's Who Amongst Students (April 2013)
Recognizes leaders who have made significant contributions to student activities or athletics and who have a very strong record of academic performance. Winners of this also receive the NCC Activities Award.