The student newspaper, TCC Connection, continues to earn recognition for its award-winning Route 66 coverage. Two newspaper representatives were the only state college journalists to present at a professional conference. One of the representatives made history.
Chrys Melissinos, managing editor for the college newspaper, was the first newspaper staff member to present at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 conference, in partnership with the SPJ Greater Houston Pro Chapter. The annual conference was held in League City, Texas, in September. The conference title was “Journalism: Navigating New Landscapes.”
Melissinos, on behalf of the award-winning college newspaper, TCC Connection, was invited to present the news organization’s Route 66 coverage at the regional conference of a leading journalism organization and was the only Oklahoma state college organization to participate.
“One of my objectives was to include as many voices as possible, and having a student-led project contributed to that,” said Ruth Nasrullah, coordinator for SPJ Region 8. “I think everyone on the committee was happy to support a student project. I was also happy to have something Oklahoma-focused.”
Joining him as a co-presenter was Dr. Jerry Goodwin, associate professor and faculty adviser.
The Route 66 project currently includes the newspaper staff and contributing writers who have been developing content on the Mother Road since January 2025. It is the only college- or university-run student publication in Oklahoma producing exclusive and extensive coverage of the centennial of the “Main Street of America.”
During the summer, Melissinos’ staff earned a first-place award in Community Leadership from the Oklahoma Press Association at its annual convention for its project.
At the SPJ Region 8, Melissinos led the discussion for the workshop titled “Road to the Centennial: Covering Route 66 With Purpose.”
“My participation in this workshop meant a lot to me because my first article as a contributing writer was about Michael Wallace, the godfather of Route 66,” said Melissinos, who is also president of the Student Government Association. (See Melissinos, C. (2025, February 10). Review: The Voice of Route 66: An Afternoon with Michael Wallis. TCC Connection. https://tccconnection.com/review-the-voice-of-route-66-an-afternoon-with-michael-wallis/)
“Without even knowing that year (writing my article), almost two years later, I would be giving a talk about our project, Route 66,” said Melissinos.
Melissinos has been involved extensively in the special coverage from the very beginning.
“I had to understand what Route 66 is and how it has affected people’s lives. Through this assignment, I developed my journalistic skills,” said Melissinos. “After writing countless articles since then, this was the first step preparing me for greater opportunities, including now serving as managing editor.”
Throughout this journey, he has met many people associated with Route 66.
“I have met Ken Busby, Michael Wallis, and Rhys Martin,” said Melissinos. “They were undoubtedly big players of interest in Route 66.” Busby is executive director and CEO of the Route 66 Alliance. Martin is president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association.
Wallis is a best-selling author, award-winning reporter, historian, and biographer of the American West, according to his website, www.michaelwallis.com. He is also popularly known as the voice of the character “Sheriff” in the “CARS” animated motion picture series from Pixar Studios.
In preparing for his workshop presentation, Melissinos recounted what he had covered about Route 66.
“I had to include events that marked the centennial, such as the Guinness Book of World Records achievement on the Mother Road in Tulsa,” said Melissinos. “I also had to remember how many times I chose to drive on Route 66 because it feels so natural and so fun with the neon signs along the road.”
According to Guinness, “a record-breaking total of 3,596 vintage vehicles responded to the call (from the City of Tulsa inviting car lovers from everywhere to participate).” It set the record for the largest parade of classic cars in history during the Route 66 Capital Cruise on May 30. Tulsa is designated the “Capital of Route 66.”
“The road significantly contributed to (Tulsa’s) local culture and economy, and despite the highway’s official closure in 1985, the city continues to maintain its drivable sections, which earned them the reputation as a key destination for travelers exploring the famous route,” said Katherine Gross in her article announcing the record. (See Gross, K. (2026, June 12). Over 3,500 classic cars cruise through Tulsa to celebrate 100th birthday of Route 66. Guinness World Records Limited. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2026/6/over-3500-classic-cars-cruise-through-tulsa-to-celebrate-100th-birthday-of-route-66)
“We are still producing articles about Route 66, and we are celebrating with the Mother Road, and we are hoping for the legacy of our work to inspire current and future generations,” said Melissinos.
To announce the project, the newspaper staff hired a press release consultant and distributor.
The newspaper partnered with EIN Presswire to distribute the press release nationwide in spring 2026. The distribution reached placement in 86 major news platforms, 74 affinity group publications, and 228 USA Today Network outlets.
To see the Route 66 coverage, visit www.tccon66.com or https://tccconnection.com/route-66-legacy-of-the-mother-road/
