Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication student Serdar Karan was deemed worthy of an award in the 34th Young Communicators Competition, organized in cooperation with the Turkish Journalists' Association and the Aydın Doğan Foundation.
Karan, who won the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' in the internet broadcasting category with his podcast project titled 'Unnecessary Sensitivity Towards Visually Impaired Individuals,' prepared under the supervision of Dr. Sadettin Demirel, Faculty Member of the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication, once again proved that visual impairment is not an obstacle to success, receiving the award from Candan Fetvacı, Chairman of the Executive Board of Aydın Doğan Foundation.
Dr. Sadettin Demirel, Faculty Member: “Serdar fully deserved this award.”
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication student Serdar Karan was deemed worthy of an award in the 34th Young Communicators Competition, organized in cooperation with the Turkish Journalists' Association and the Aydın Doğan Foundation.
Karan, who won the 'Outstanding Achievement Award' in the internet broadcasting category with his podcast project titled 'Unnecessary Sensitivity Towards Visually Impaired Individuals,' prepared under the supervision of Dr. Sadettin Demirel, Faculty Member of the Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication, once again proved that visual impairment is not an obstacle to success, receiving the award from Candan Fetvacı, Chairman of the Executive Board of Aydın Doğan Foundation.
“My project created a big impact within society when it was published"
Serdar Karan, a New Media and Communication Department student who was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award, explained the starting point and process of his podcast project.
Stating that he wanted to draw attention to prejudices against visually impaired individuals in his project, Karan said:
"This project started as a graduation assignment. Initially, I was producing video content, but my advisor, Sadettin Hoca, suggested that the podcast format would be more effective. So, I chose the podcast format and wanted to address a community struggling with barriers created by society. I identified my guests, and as I developed my project idea, I noticed it attracted more attention. First, I received positive feedback in the classroom setting, and then my project created a big impact within society when it was published."
“This award shows that our achievements are not overshadowed”
Stating that winning the award holds great significance for him, Karan said: “Seeing that our achievements are not overshadowed and that they resonate with society made me very happy. The interest shown by the academics evaluating the project, my friends, and society demonstrates that this award is a crowning achievement. Seeing that such projects can be awarded motivated me even further. I won one of the most prestigious awards in media. Receiving an award in this competition, which has been held for 34 years, is a source of pride for both my university and the community I belong to. This award shows that our achievements are not overshadowed. Addressing the prejudices faced by visually impaired individuals and bringing this issue to the agenda was very valuable for me.”
“My disability did not prevent me from receiving the award”
Emphasizing that the award was evaluated solely on the quality of the work, Karan said: “It is very important that this award is not reduced to a disability and is evaluated entirely based on the project. The jury, school administration, and competition organization demonstrated that the award was not linked to a disability but was given purely based on the project's success. My disability did not prevent me from receiving the award. What matters is the quality of the work done and one's belief in their own potential. One of the most common feedbacks I received was about self-confidence. People must believe they can achieve things. If I had thought I couldn't make a podcast, perhaps I would never have started, but I believed, sought support when needed, and achieved this award. Instead of seeing obstacles as a problem, we should focus on how we can overcome them. If a person adopts this perspective, they can overcome all obstacles they face.”
Dr. Sadettin Demirel, Faculty Member: “Serdar fully deserved this award”
Karan's advisor, Dr. Sadettin Demirel, Faculty Member of the Department of Journalism, Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Communication, expressed pride in his student's success.
Demirel said: “Serdar was previously working on video editing. My reason for suggesting the podcast format was that this topic was more suitable for a podcast. His project was a remarkable work not only in terms of its technical aspects but also its content. The jury members clearly stated this. Even the phrase 'Serdar Karan presents...' used at the beginning of the podcast shows a professional approach. Furthermore, he developed his work by taking into account the feedback he received throughout the project. Serdar fully deserved this award. One of the things that made me happiest was that such an important topic was recognized by awards that have reached a certain level in the communication community.”