National winners announced for 2015 Mark of Excellence Awards

Home > SPJ News > National winners announced for 2015 Mark of Excellence Awards

5/10/2016

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 congratulates the 2015 Mark of Excellence Awards national winners. The MOE Awards honor the best of collegiate journalism within a calendar year.

National Mark of Excellence Award winners are chosen from the category winners in each of SPJ’s 12 regions, and the awards are judged by journalism professionals with at least three years of experience. Lists of regional winners can be found in SPJ News.

SPJ will recognize first-place national winners at the Student Union event during Excellence in Journalism 2016, Sept. 18-20 in New Orleans.

Judges were directed to choose only those entries they considered outstanding work worthy of a national honor. If the judges determined none of the entries rose to this 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 10,000+ students and small have fewer than 10,000 students.

See the list below for details on national winners, and direct any MOE Awards questions to SPJ 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: Discussion - BLM Protest - by Jonathan Glover, Central Washington University
Finalist: The Lantern - Goal posts torn down, tear gas used, several arrested after National Championship win - by Yann Schreiber, The Ohio State University
Finalist: State flag rally and protests - by Deja Samuel , University of Mississippi

Breaking News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Protest in Bowman Park - by Rebeca Bagdocimo, DePauw University
Finalist: LGBT issues addressed on campus - by Rebecca Dietrich, Slippery Rock University
Finalist: It's getting hot in here - by Al Drago, Elon University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Editorial cartoons - by Gareth Bentall, Virginia Commonwealth University

Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Seattle group’s training program saves lives of moms and babies in Kenya - by Paul Nevin, University of Washington
Finalist: Festival of Colors - by Richard Hoang, University of Texas Arlington
Finalist: Maasai women: Breaking out of the Boma - by Sydney Combs, University of Chicago

Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Heaven on wheels - by Ethan DeGree, Minnesota State University Moorhead
Finalist: Photo series: Obsessions - by LuAnne DeMeo, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Finalist: Cal U twirlers incorporate gymnastics and dance into their performances - by Matt Palichat, California University of Pennsylvania

General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: The last shot - by Jacob Byk, Kent State University
Finalist: Bras for a cause - by Stephanie Distasio, Penn State
Finalist: Candlelight vigil honors student - by Richard Hoang, University of Texas Arlington

General News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Lean on me - by Al Drago, Elon University
Finalist: SPU John Perkins - Chapel - by Christopher Yang, Seattle Pacific University
Finalist: Icepocalypse - by Grant Schol, Harding University

Photo Illustration (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Food issue cover 1 - by Rori Kotch, Claudia Fernandes-Hernandez, Allie Pakrosnis and Valentina Escotet , University of Miami
Finalist: Columbia's sweet treats - by Alex Menz, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Technological meltdown - by Alberto Calderon Luz Aramburo, Southwestern College

Photo Illustration (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Obsessively compulsive & totally disordered - by LuAnne DeMeo, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
Finalist: Close 2 the heart - by Taylor Schley, Baker University
Finalist: A day in the life: Zaid Hearst - by Rebecca Castagna, Quinnipiac University

Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Airborne - by John Baranoski, Penn State

Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Rugby prom - by Al Drago, Elon University
Finalist: Men's basketball gets back on roll - by Kameron Casey, University of Indianapolis
Finalist: Lose ball - by Ryan Sullivan, Gonzaga University

Magazines
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Vox Magazine - The Killing State - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Alice - by Alice Magazine staff , The University of Alabama
Finalist: Land of broken promises - by Meek School of Journalism and New Media , University of Mississippi

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: The death penalty in Missouri from A to Z - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Science in the sky - by Jasper Scherer, Northwestern University
Finalist: American writer - by Clinton Crockett Peters, University of North Texas

Newspapers
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: Iowa State Daily - by Staff, Iowa State University
Finalist: The Daily Mississippian - by Staff, University of Mississippi
Finalist: The Daily Bruin - Staff, UCLA

Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Breeze - by Staff, James Madison University
Finalist: Central Florida Future - by Staff, University of Central Florida
Finalist: The DePaulia - by Staff, DePaul University

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: WPD arrest armed man near schools - by Leah Wankum, University of Central Missouri
Finalist: Guilty - by Emma Ockerman, Ohio University
Finalist: Task force recommends Northwestern begin academic year in August, still maintain quarter system - by Alice Yin, Northwestern University

Breaking News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: OBU nursing students serve as first responders at car accident - by Emma Patton and Katherine Gilbert, Oklahoma Baptist University
Finalist: Tulane discontinues student-run ambulance service - by Kristen Stewart, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Flames engulf Pomona building - by Jolene Nacapuy and Cody Luk, University of La Verne

Editorial Writing
Winner: GW Hatchet Staff Editorials - by GW Hatchet Staff, The GW Hatchet
Finalist: The State Press - Editorial Writing - by Editorial Board, Arizona State University
Finalist: The Crimson Editorial Board - by The Crimson Editorial Board, Harvard College

Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Skiing for the team - by Courtney Tanner, University of Utah
Finalist: The kings of Dixwell Avenue - by Maya Averbuch, Yale University
Finalist: Our way of life - by Emily Barske, Iowa State University

Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Hotdogs--a 'life changer' for Chili Man - by Athena Cao, Washington and Lee University
Finalist: An angel's vision - by Danielle DiStefano, Lehigh University
Finalist: Stoned, sober and all that’s in between: students speak out on drug use at Oxy - by Charlotte Umanoff and William Stupp, Occidental College

General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: General column writing - by Tim Balk, Northwestern University
Finalist: 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: Eastfield general column writing - by Mayra Rosales Montoya, Aisha Davis and Courtney Schwing, Eastfield College

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
Finalist: The contrarian - by Nikita Chirkov, Trinity University

General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: A&M won’t discuss animal lab tests - by Nicole Cobler, University of Texas at Austin
Finalist: Mental health on campus - by Mario Marroquin Jennifer Meyers Marley Paul Meg McLaurin , Penn State
Finalist: ASCSU fails to comply with constitutional requirements, does not make all records available - by Erin Douglas, Colorado State University

General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: This shouldn't happen here - by Max Denning, Ithaca College
Finalist: Data reveals funding disparity between UNA student organizations - by Ashley Remkus, University of North Alabama
Finalist: High-Tech and high-touch: FIU introduces 'virtual' dissection - by Carolyn Holtzman, Washington and Lee University

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: The brothel next door - by Staff of Capital News Service, University of Maryland
Finalist: BYU women victimized by 'catfish' relationship deception - by Jenna Koford Bret Henkel Gianluca Cuestas, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Two days of mental health coverage - by Staff, University of Oklahoma

In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: The emergency care crisis in Uganda - by Jae Lee, Washington University in St. Louis
Finalist: Transition: Transgender student finds a home/ Transphobic Incident Spurs Pain, Action - by Cheyenne Schoen and Lydia Laythe, University of Portland
Finalist: Unaccompanied minors seek new homes and lives in NC - by Katy Canada, Elon University

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Sports columns - by Brian Rathbone, Oregon State University
Finalist: Sports columns - by Ryan Baillargeon and Daniel Popper, University of Maryland
Finalist: Sports columns - by Tim Balk, Northwestern University

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: From darkness to dawn: Ivan Gonzalez won’t let his undocumented status slow him down - by Hooman Yazdanian , University of California, Berkeley
Finalist: God of the playing field - by Caleb Lee, Samuel E. Liu, Ali M. Monfre, Harvard College
Finalist: Mike Riley isn't following his father's footsteps anymore - by Chris Heady, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Football attempts to move on to ‘new normalcy’ - by Alex Simon, Elon University
Finalist: No fear: The Lauren Joseph story - by Eden Laase, Gonzaga University
Finalist: Married to the game - by Kassandra Merritt, Grambling State University

Online
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Harvard Crimson Website - by The Crimson Staff, Harvard College

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Winner: PhiladelphiaNeighborhoods.com - by Staff, Temple University
Finalist: Capital News Service | CNSMaryland.org - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
Finalist: Flagler College Gargoyle - by Gargoyle Staff, Flagler College

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: University Chronicle Online - by Staff, St. Cloud State University
Finalist: Lumination Network - by Erin Turner, Anna McClure and Janice Ng, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Flagler College Gargoyle - by Gargoyle Staff, Flagler College

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: #MSKatrina10 - by NewsWatch99 Staff, University of Mississippi
Finalist: West Texas water issues - by Sarah Self-Walbrick, Nicole Molter, Kaitlin Thogmartin and Anibal Galindo, Texas Tech University
Finalist: Bridging Selma - by staff of Bridging Selma, Reed College of Media and Morgan State University

Online Feature Reporting
Winner: The land of royal honey / The Beekeeper - by Danielle Garcia, Tyler Cleveland and Laura Jarriel, University of North Texas
Finalist: Dream and the war - by Kae Holloway, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Street scenes - by Amanda Proscia, School of Journalism, Michigan State University

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Crime & campus - by The Temple News Staff, Temple University
Finalist: Feed Alabama - by Dateline Alabama Staff, The University of Alabama
Finalist: America's weed rush: A News21 Investigation - by Staff, Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School

Online News Reporting
Winner: SAE racist chant - by Staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Hooked: Tracking heroin's hold on Arizona - by Staff, Arizona State University Walter Cronkite School
Finalist: The missing - by NYCity News Service Staff, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism

Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Opinion and commentary - by Kaley LaQuea, University of Colorado
Finalist: Analysis: CMU athletics has become big business under Heeke — and students are paying for it - by John Irwin , Central Michigan University
Finalist: The revolving door: Why our dorm security isn’t enough to keep students safe - by Megan Fleming, Pennsylvania State University

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: Moving beyond the arc - by James Badas, Ashley Wu, Peter Chung and Raleigh Capozzalo, Yale University
Finalist: More than a decade of drought: An oral history of the 2003-04 Blue Demons - by Matthew Paras, Kirsten Onsgard and Mariah Woelfel, DePaul University
Finalist: Outside the ring - by Daine Pavloski, School of Journalism, Michigan State University

Radio Broadcast
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Carolina connection – Feb. 14, 2015 - by Staff, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Newscast- 8/28/15 - by Aaron Zufall and Riley Ludwig, Ithaca College
Finalist: Long story short - by Kelly Yeo and Yuri Enokida, UCLA

Radio Feature
Winner: The journey: An unaccompanied minor's story of coming to the U.S. - by Maira Perez, Mills College
Finalist: Archeologists uncover history in Morganton - by Louis Fernandez, UNC-Chapel Hill
Finalist: Cayuga's watchers - by Kelli Kyle, Elena Piech, Riley Ludwig, Ithaca College

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: UnCharted territory for a Brooklyn school - by Levi Sharpe, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Finalist: Busy taxidermists - by Ryan Nelson, University of Florida

Radio News Reporting
Winner: Rated No. 1 Courtney Conlogue seeks world championship title - by Quinn Owen, San Diego State University
Finalist: Students march as part of Selma commemoration - by David Caddell, Troy University

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Husker countdown- Nebraska-BYU football suspensions - by Tommy Rezac, College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Finalist: Spartans are hungry for more: MSU Media Day recap - by Blake Froling, School of Journalism, Michigan State University
Finalist: Jockeys--misunderstood athletes - by Taylor Trache, University of Florida

Television Broadcast
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: Northwestern News Network - Chicago Show - by Northwestern News Network staff, Northwestern University
Finalist: Centre County Report, November 20, 2015 - by Centre County Report Staff, Penn State University
Finalist: Plane crash in downtown Fayetteville - by UATV Staff, University of Arkansas

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Akron plane crash - by Alexa Maslowski, Kent State University
Finalist: Big case rocking a small community - Danny Heinrich - by Brett Mensing, St. Cloud State University
Finalist: Woman struck, killed at downtown crossing T station - by Catherine Casey and Amelia Fabiano, Emerson College

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: NW Stories - Artist and "Bug Guy" Christopher Marley - by Nicolas Walcott, Dana Bredeweg and Chloe Huckins, School of Journalism and Communication
Finalist: Child life specialists help young patients, families - by Yahaira Jacquez, Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm
Finalist: Grove wall - by Oliver Redsten, University of Miami

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Integrity report - by Katie Ryan, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Middle school garden - by Danielle Maroney, St. Cloud State University
Finalist: Text neck - by Maddie Gardner, UNC-Chapel Hill

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Woodburning ban - by Eric Mock, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Changing home: Small town survival - by University of Montana Student Documentary Unit, spring 2015, University of Montana
Finalist: Doomsday warrior: The story of George Andrie - by Peter Basch, Michael Cianciolo and Brian Georgeson, Marquette University

Television News and Feature Photography
Winner: Golden knights - by Reporter Josh Holland and Daniel Blommel, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Funerals for the forgotten - by Taylor Curet, Louisiana State University
Finalist: ViewFinder: Ballet for disabled children - by Karen Tang, University of Maryland

Television Sports Photography
Winner: ViewFinder: Troops deploy game ball - by Ricky Lasser and Karen Tang, University of Maryland
Finalist: Cross country runner Makena Morley - by Peter Riley, University of Montana
Finalist: Kicker makes history - by Joey McReynolds, Texas Christian University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: I'll do it through you down here: The Kyle Cody story - by Megan O'Brien, Northwestern University
Finalist: Rodeo club - by Joy Carey, College of Journalism and Mass Communications
Finalist: The skater's edge: Evan Bender - by Collette Del Poso, Iris Lee, UCLA

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