Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced in Richmond, Va.

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4/11/2016

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 2. The MOE Awards honor the best of collegiate journalism from a calendar year.

SPJ’s Region 2 comprises Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Honorees received award certificates the weekend of April 9 at the Region 2 Spring Conference in Richmond, Va. 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 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 2 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
Breaking News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Fire breaks out at Potomac Plaza Terraces - by Desiree Halpern , George Washington University
Finalist: McDonnell sentencing (wide shot with reporters) - by Michael Melkonian, Virginia Commonwealth University

Breaking News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: It's getting hot in here - by Al Drago, Elon University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Gareth Bentall editorial cartoons 2015 - by Gareth Bentall, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Editorial cartoons of Shannon Wright, The CT - by Shannon Wright, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Editorial cartoons of Annette Allen, The CT - by Annette Allen, Virginia Commonwealth University

Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Photos from UCI World Championships in Richmond - by Travis Ellison, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Falling forward with GW Baseball - by Dan Rich, George Washington University
Finalist: Dancer IJ Chan - by James Chung, James Madison University

Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Greek Week Dance - by Al Drago, Elon University

General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Supreme Court rules in favor of legalizing gay marriage - by Desiree Halpern, George Washington University
Finalist: GameDay at JMU - by Daniel Stein, James Madison University
Finalist: Disaster drill - by Sam Taylor, James Madison University

General News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Lean on me - by Al Drago, Elon University
Finalist: From acorn to Disney World - by Hali Tauxe-Stewart, Elon University
Finalist: Dance for justice - by Al Drago, Elon University

Photo Illustration (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Year in review - by Sydney Adamson Towson Photography Staff, Towson University

Photo Illustration (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Up in smoke - by Stephanie Hays and Hali Tauxe-Stewart, Elon University
Finalist: Rankings, realities and varied experiences - by Stephanie Hays, Elon University

Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Freshman guard Jonathan Williams goes for a layup - by Audry Dubon, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Winner of men's race at UCI Road World Championships - by Audry Dubon, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Vad Lee touchdown - by Erin Williams, James Madison University

Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Rugby prom - by Al Drago, Elon University
Magazines
Best Student Magazine
Winner: 22807 - by Staff, James Madison University
Finalist: Ink Magazine - by Staff, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: AWOL Fall 2015 issue - by Jess Anderson and Pamela Huber, editors, American Univeristy

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: Borderline justice - by Reina Dufore-Byrd, American Univeristy
Finalist: A hidden history - by Emma Ashooh, American Univeristy
Finalist: Breaking the bank - by Kendra Yoshinaga, American Univeristy
Newspapers
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Daily Tar Heel from March 6, Oct. 9 and and Dec. 2, 2015 - by Staff of The Daily Tar Heel, UNC Chapel Hill

Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Breeze - by Staff, James Madison University
Finalist: The Eagle - by Shannon Scovel, Editor, American Univeristy
Finalist: The GW Hatchet - by The GW Hatchet Staff, George Washington University

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Chandler signs list of demands from black students - by Cody Boteler Nilo Exar Carley Milligan, Towson University
Finalist: From governor’s mansion to Petersburg federal prison - by Benjamin May, Sean C.W. Korsgaard, Janeal Downs and Michael Melkonian, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Former professor arrested in TDR while protesting worker benefits - by Cuneyt Dil and Katherine Saltzman, American Univeristy

Editorial Writing
Winner: GW Hatchet staff editorials - by GW Hatchet Staff, The GW Hatchet
Finalist: Selected editorials - by The Diamondback editorial board, University of Maryland
Finalist: Editorial writing by the staff of the Commonwealth Times - by Staff, Virginia Commonwealth University

Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Maryland's hidden epidemic - by Jon Banister, University of Maryland
Finalist: A dream deferred: A look at transgender discrimination in Thailand - by Julia Boccagno, American University
Finalist: Park closure could devastate Richmond homeless - by Fadel Allassan, Virginia Commonwealth University

Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Hotdogs--a 'Life Changer' for Chili Man - by Athena Cao, Washington and Lee University

General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: For the love of God, there was Satan, Letter from an Op-editor, The perfect human can't be designed - by Yi "Patrick An, University of Maryland College Park
Finalist: Transgressive art is desecration of beauty; Not everything intended as art is art; Gun control - by Andrew Adeola, University of Maryland, College Park
Finalist: Three columns by Shelby Ostergaard - by Shelby Ostergaard, American Univeristy

General Column Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Take stand against cultural appropriation; Learning beyond 5 little letters; Sharing Phoenix spirit - by Leena Dahal, Elon University

General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Transgender Marylanders Hope Legislation Will Align Birth Certificates with True Identities - by Grace Toohey, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: Paratransit Riders Frustrated, MTA Under Scrutiny - by Grace Toohey, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: Questions Loom Over Effects of state’s oyster recovery efforts on Watermen’s bottom lines - by Jacob Bell, University of Maryland College of Journalism

General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: High-Tech and high-touch: FIU introduces 'virtual' dissection - by Carolyn Holtzman, Washington and Lee University
Finalist: Stadium becomes shelter as community celebrates Elon junior - by Tommy Hamzik, Elon University
Finalist: Reported bias incidents rise on campus - by Leena Dahal, Elon University

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: The brothel next door - by Staff of Capital News Service, University of Maryland
Finalist: Low-income Alzheimer's patients battle more than the disease - by Julie Gallagher, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: DNA evidence brings hope, truth, but only if tested; Some Maryland jurisdictions slow to report - by Deidre McPhillips, University of Maryland College of Journalism

In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Unaccompanied minors seek new homes and lives in NC - by Lindsey Lanquist and Mackenzie Roberts, Elon University
Finalist: Open defecation in India - by Ann Schraufnagel, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Selected columns - by Ryan Baillargeon Daniel Popper, University of Maryland

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Fastest to 500 - by Callie Caplan, University of Maryland
Finalist: Caitlin Adams: Running with a purpose - by Matt Hamilton, Towson University
Finalist: Shaped in Katrina's wake, swimming coach begins rebuild - by Nora Princiotti, George Washington University

Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Football attempts to move on to ‘new normalcy’ - by Alex Simon, Elon University

Online

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: CNSMaryland.org | Capital News Service - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: Port & Main Online - by Staff, James Madison University
Finalist: BreezeJMU.org - by Staff, James Madison University

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Winner: Capital News Service | CNSMaryland.org - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: Zajel - by Nada Almenhali, Zayed University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Capital News Service | CNSMaryland.org - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: TruthBeTold.news - by TruthBeTold.news Staff, Howard University
Finalist: The Rockbridge Report - by Washington and Lee University students, Washington and Lee University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Faces of D.C. - by GW Hatchet Multimedia Staff, George Washington University
Finalist: ViewFinder: Beyond the Sidelines - by Viewfinder Fall 2015 and Brittany Cheng, University of Maryland
Finalist: StarWarsData.com - by Joe Zimmermann, Joey Trull and Madeleine Deason , University of Maryland College of Journalism

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Mexico: Technology, Civic Participation, and Accountability - by Kara Alessandra Andrade, American University
Finalist: The brothel next door - by Staff of Capital News Service, University of Maryland
Finalist: Indians struggle for recognition in their own land - by Janeal Downs and Cameron Vigliano , Virginia Commonwealth University

Online News Reporting
Winner: Where's the pope? - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: University of Maryland expels record number of students for sexual assault - by Ellie Silverman Darcy Costello, University of Maryland
Finalist: Seven things we learned from Barbara Mikulski's email exchanges with Hillary Clinton - by Molly Podlesny, University of Maryland College of Journalism

Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Not everything intended as art is art; Holistic perspective improve healthcare;Biden should have run - by Andrew Adeola, University of Maryland, College Park
Finalist: Ethics in the world of sports - by Hannah Yasharoff, University of Maryland, College Park

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: Flagged down: NFL penalties on the rise - by Max Simpson, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: The miss - by Josh Needelman, University of Maryland
Finalist: Can Under Armour win the world? - by Sissi Cao, University of Maryland College of Journalism

Radio Broadcast
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Carolina Connection – Feb. 14, 2015 - by Staff, UNC-Chapel Hill

Radio Feature
Winner: Archeologists uncover history in Morganton - by Louis Fernandez, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Man devoted to protecting Cape Fear - by Elise McGlothian, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Bringing big name jazz to U Street - by Jourdan Henry, Howard University

Radio News Reporting
Winner: Bar crackdown makes some students rethink fake IDs - by Avery Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Bus cameras capture unsafe drivers - by Parth Shah, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: A-F school evaluation system undergoing changes - by Michael Melkonian, Virginia Commonwealth University

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Why don't women play baseball? - by Kayla Gibson, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Players, coaches recall Smith's impact - by Andrew Tie, UNC-Chapel Hill
Television Broadcast

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: VCU InSight - by Alyssa Sims, Nichelle Pearson, Stafani Zenteno, Alonzo Small, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Carolina Week – October 21, 2015 - by Staff, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Maryland Newsline, December 3, 2015 - by Staff & volunteers CNS-TV, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, U of MD

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Auto theft spree - by Maddie Gardner, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: HoJo sexual assault - by Bailey Pennington, UNC-Chapel Hill

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Baltimore's miniature libraries will try to "create unlimited possibilities" - by Michelle Chavez, University of Maryland, College Park
Finalist: Veterans Kayaking: Veterans play kayak football to form military community - by Hayley Fixler, University of Maryland, College Park
Finalist: Great ShakeOut - by Gabe Katzman, University of Maryland, College Park

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Text neck - by Maddie Gardner, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Witness misidentification - by Jaclyn Lee, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Fecal transplant - by Ben Smart, UNC-Chapel Hill

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: ViewFinder: Second Chances - by ViewFinder Fall 2015, University of Maryland
Finalist: Solitary Confinement - by Ben Smart, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Up in smoke: What happened to Maryland's billions of tobacco settlement money? - by Karen Ye, University of Maryland, College Park

Television News and Feature Photography
Winner: ViewFinder: Ballet for disabled children - by Karen Tang, University of Maryland
Finalist: ViewFinder: Trailer park - by Ricky Lasser, University of Maryland
Finalist: ViewFinder: Troops deploy game ball - by Ricky Lasser and Karen Tang, University of Maryland

Television Sports Photography
Winner: ViewFinder: Troops deploy game ball - by Ricky Lasser and Karen Tang, University of Maryland
Finalist: Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy - by Mike Tart, University of Maryland
Finalist: Club ice hockey - by Erin Wygant, UNC-Chapel Hill

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Concussions - by Louis Fernandez, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Veterans kayaking: Veterans play kayak football to form military community - by Hayley Fixler, University of Maryland, College Park
Finalist: Cosmic golf - by Giovanni Insignares, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, U of MD

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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