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Region 3 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-920-4791, awards@spj.org
Maggie LaMar, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, mlamar@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the 2015 Mark of Excellence Awards winners from Region 3. The MOE Awards honor the best of collegiate journalism from a calendar year.
SPJ’s Region 3 comprises Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. First-place winners will move on to the national MOE competition among category winners from the 12 SPJ regions.
National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at Excellence in Journalism 2016 (EIJ16) Sept. 18-20 in New Orleans.
Entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. The awards honor the best in student journalism. As such, judges were directed to choose only those entries they felt were outstanding work worthy of such an honor. If the judges determined that none of the entries rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.
School divisions are based on student enrollment, which includes both graduate and undergraduate enrollment: Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.
See the list below for details on the Region 3 winners, and direct any MOE Awards questions to Awards Coordinator Abbi Martzall.
Note: The list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award-entry process.
Art / Graphics
Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Editorial Cartooning - by Marguerite Powers , The University of Alabama
Finalist: Seth Nicholson: Editorial Cartooning - by Seth Nicholson, Troy Universtiy
Finalist: A riot of lying cowards - by Michael Beckom, Savannah College of Art & Design
Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Photo series: Obsessions - by LuAnne DeMeo, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Waiting embrace - by Alyssa Newton, University of South Alabama
Finalist: It's on us - by Amy Sullivan , The University of Alabama
Photo Illustration (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Food Issue Cover 1 - by Rori Kotch, Claudia Fernandes-Hernandez, Allie Pakrosnis, Valentina Escotet , University of Miami
Photo Illustration (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Obsessively compulsive & totally disordered - by LuAnne DeMeo, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: NC State runs over South - by Alyssa Newton , University of South Alabama
Finalist: Perfect in pink - by Hanna Curlette , The University of Alabama
Finalist: Nick Chubb injury - by Joshua L. Jones, University of Georgia
Magazines
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Alice - by Alice Magazine staff , The University of Alabama
Finalist: Distraction Magazine: Arts & Culture Issue - by Distraction Magazine Staff, University of Miami
Finalist: The Fine Print Magazine - by The Fine Print Staff, The University of Florida
Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: Low Creek Killers - by Richard Adams, Augusta University
Finalist: Show me the money - by Becca Murdoch and Laura Testino , The University of Alabama
Finalist: Swipe left - by Becca Murdoch , The University of Alabama
Newspapers
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Oracle - by The Oracle, University of South Florida
Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: Central Florida Future - by Central Florida Future Staff, University of Central Florida
Finalist: The Red & Black - by Staff of The Red & Black, University of Georgia
Finalist: Eagle News - by Kelli Krebs Justin Kane, Florida Gulf Coast University
Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Breaking News Reporting - Caroline Glenn - by Caroline Glenn, University of Central Florida
Breaking News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: 4 bystanders rescue man from flaming house - by Ashley Remkus, University of North Alabama
Editorial Writing
Winner: Our View - by The Crimson White Editorial Board, The University of Alabama
Finalist: Editorial Writing - Caroline Glenn - by Caroline Glenn, University of Central Florida
Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Central Florida Future Feature Writing Brooke Dawkins - by Rachel Stuart, University of Central Florida
Finalist: Central Florida Future Feature Writing - Mars One - by Marina Guerges, University of Central Florida
Finalist: Breast cancer only takes a single second - by Savannah Vankirk, The University of Alabama
Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Teenager headed downtown when protesters arrived - by Jayde Jacobs, Troy Universtiy
General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Mark Hammontree takes on free speech, racial issues, and a college football loss - by Mark Hammontree, The University of Alabama
General Column Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: $55, plus tax and humiliation; One race, many colors; It’s time to bite the bullet - by Jazmyn Brown, Nova Southeastern University
Finalist: Commencement is too big for our campus; Women can vote; Blame the perpetrator - by Nicole Cocuy, Nova Southeastern University
Finalist: General Column Writing: Ngoc Vo - by Ngoc Vo, Troy Universtiy
General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Memory Marches On - by Alana Norris, The University of Alabama
Finalist: Central Florida Future General News Reporting - Tower 1 anniversary - by Alex Wexelman, University of Central Florida
General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Data reveals funding disparity between UNA student organizations - by Ashley Remkus, University of North Alabama
Finalist: ‘Common sense’ law: New bill would make most abortions illegal in Alabama - by Jacob Holmes, Troy Universtiy
Finalist: Employment applications raise equality questions - by Ashley Remkus and Anna Brown, University of North Alabama
In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Is the UCF area safe? - by Ryan Gillespie, Caroline Glenn, Nada Hassanein, Adam Rhodes, Alex Wexelman and staff, University of Central Florida
Finalist: The sound of silence - by The Crimson White staff, The University of Alabama
Finalist: South Alabama parking series - by The Vanguard Staff , University of South Alabama
In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: One in four - by Jenna Pope, Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College
Finalist: Millennial breadwinners - by Karen Noa, Florida International University
Finalist: Battle for the credit: USA creates title, trophy - by Thomas Gleaton and Michael Shipma, Troy Universtiy
Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Vegas gets wilder - by Elliott Propes, The University of Alabama
Finalist: Guardians of the gridiron - by Sarah Spencer, University of Georgia
Online
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: Eagle News - by Kelli Krebs Madison Hampton, Florida Gulf Coast University
Finalist: distractionmagazine.com - by distractionmagazine.com staff, University of Miami
Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Winner: Flagler College Gargoyle - by Gargoyle Staff, Flagler College
Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Flagler College Gargoyle - by Gargoyle Staff, Flagler College
Finalist: SCAD Connector - by Staff, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Finalist: Viking Fusion - by Viking Fusion Staff, Berry College
Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Feed Alabama - by Dateline Alabama Staff, The University of Alabama
Finalist: DownStream - by Comm-J Staff, The University of Alabama
Online Feature Reporting
Winner: Let the needles drop and the records spin: Record Store Day is near - by Damian Dominguez, School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Finalist: Illiteracy in Alabama: Life in the shoes of a "Learner" - by Matthew Wilson, The University of Alabama
Finalist: Somebody to lean on - by Katie Garwood, Flagler College
Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Feed Alabama - by Dateline Alabama Staff, The University of Alabama
Finalist: Education equity: Chasing a dream - by Carolina Reporter staff, School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Finalist: DownStream - by Comm-J Staff, The University of Alabama
Online News Reporting
Winning: Fatal accident of UCF student leads to state legislation - by Joseph Klawe-Genao, University of Central Florida
Finalist: Historic flood . . . road to recovery - by The Carolina Reporter & News staff, School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Finalist: Hundreds of homeless students in St. Johns County - by Montana Samuels, Flagler College
Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Online opinion columns by Tonesa Jones - by Tonesa Jones, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Finalist: Commentary by Carie Levy - by Carie Levy, Flagler College
Online Sports Reporting
Winner: The things they Carry - by COM 311 Sports Journalism, Berry College
Finalist: Writing for the refrigerator on National Signing Day: The inside story of covering the story - by Avery Wilks, School of Journalism and Mass Communications
Radio Broadcast
Radio Feature
Winner: A catfish from a galaxy far, far away - Meet Peckoltia Greedoi - by Joey Hudson, Troy University
Finalist: A rock camp for girls will come to Miami this summer - by Junette Reyes, Florida International University
Finalist: Piano expertise - by Marie Edinger, University of Florida
Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Busy taxidermists - by Ryan Nelson, University of Florida
Finalist: The thieve's guild - by Josh Williams, University of Florida
Radio News Reporting
Winner: Students march as part of Selma commemoration - by David Caddell, Troy University
Finalist: Jerry Correll execution - by Marie Edinger, University of Florida
Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Jockeys--misunderstood athletes - by Taylor Trache, University of Florida
Television Broadcast
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: WUFT NEWS First at Five - by Molly Robinson, University of Florida
Finalist: GC360 Mayoral Election Debate - by Jobie Peeples, Jesper Hagel, Michael Warrick, Georgia College & State University
Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: SC Flood: Willow Creek Apartments - by Shante' Sumpter, University of South Carolina
Finalist: Flood Ravages Columbia businesses - by Abbey O'Brien, University of South Carolina
Finalist: HS football players help flood victims - by Blake Lipton, University of South Carolina
Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Grove Wall - by Oliver Redsten, University of Miami
Finalist: Remembering Paradise Park - by James Torrez, University of Florida
Finalist: From battle scars to beauty marks: how tattoos are changing lives - by Macey Lauren Kessler, University of Georgia
Television General News Reporting
Winner: Guitars/guns - by Oliver Redsten, University of Miami
Finalist: Construction dangerous to cars - by James Torrez, University of Florida
Finalist: Remembering Fayad - by Oshea Robinson, University of South Carolina
Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Trapped - by Lacrai Mitchell, Brittany Collins, Florida A&M University
Finalist: The Redzone - by Quintin Gee, Jason Joseph, Florida A&M University
Finalist: Firefighters - by Molly Robinson, University of Florida
Television News and Feature Photography
Winner: Ziplining - by Paige Andringa, University of Florida
Finalist: Big Dam Jam - by Abbey O'Brien, University of South Carolina
Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Vets football - by Erika Orstad, University of Miami
Finalist: Seventh Woods - by Ryan Toland, University of South Carolina
Finalist: Climb for cancer - by Nikko Tan, University of Florida
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.
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