Region 9 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced in Salt Lake City

Home > SPJ News > Region 9 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced in Salt Lake City

3/28/2017

Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Events Coordinator, 317-920-4791, awards@spj.org
Rachel Semple, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, rsemple@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 9 with 2016 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 9 includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Honorees received award certificates the weekend of March 24 at the Region 9 Conference. First-place winners will compete at the national level among other regional MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Anaheim, California.

MOE Awards entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. Judges were directed to choose entries they felt were among the best in student journalism. If no entry rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.

School divisions are based on student enrollment, including both graduate and undergraduate: Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.

The list below details all Region 8 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact Abbi Martzall via email or phone at 317-920-4791.

This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries.

Art / Graphics
Breaking News Photography (Large)
Winner: Start of a new Senate - by Abbie Parr, Colorado State University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: UVU Review Editorial Cartoons - Carpenter and Cole, Utah Valley University

Feature Photography (Large)
Winner: Colorado Music Country Hall of Fame Entertainer of the Year – Ryan Chrys & The Rough Cuts - by Brandon N. Sanchez, Metropolitan State University Denver
Finalist: Broncos celebrate 2016 Super Bowl victory - by McClaran, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Got weeds? Try goats - by Alyson McClaran, Metropolitan State University of Denver

General News Photography (Large)
Winner: Thousands converge to protest - by Abreham Gebreegziabher, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: United by dream yet divided; Denver marade split by political interest - by Michael Ortiz, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Photo Illustration (Large)
Winner: New mammogram guidelines - by Emily Crooks, Weber State University
Finalist: Orientation - by Emily Crooks, Weber State University

Sports Photography (Large)
Winner: Closing speed - by Matthew Halton, Utah State University
Finalist: Metro loses in RMAC semifinals - by Abreham Gebreegziabher, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Sky high Koby - by Ethan Babcock, Utah State University

Magazines
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Metrosphere Volume 35 Issue 3- by Staff of Metrosphere, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: The Star, Journal of Excellence- by of Excellence, Community College of Denver
Finalist: Wasatch Magazine- by Carolyn Webber, Mark Klekas, Kamryn Broschinsky and Julie Hirschi, University of Utah

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: CCD is Home - by Tate Williams, Community College of Denver
Finalist: Seen and Heard - by Victoria Edstedt, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Bringing back Burning Man: The Awesome Sweater project - by Dayna L. Himot, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Newspapers
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Rocky Mountain Collegian - by The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Signpost - by The Signpost, Weber State University
Finalist: Best all-around non-daily student newspaper - by Daily Universe Staff, Brigham Young University

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: U Campus Group Demands Better Response to Sexual Assault - by Elise Vandersteen, University of Utah
Finalist: Legendary BYU football head coach LaVell Edwards dies at 86 - by Nate Cunningham, Brigham Young University
Finalist: USU administration restricts activities at sexual education event - by Alison Berg, Utah State University

Editorial Writing
Winner: Charles Bowker - by Charles Bowker, Weber State University

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: The Plague of Pornography - by Sarah Averett and Mariana Chrisney, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Sociologists say relationships should exist outside marriage - by Sydney Jorgensen, Brigham Young University
Finalist: BYU-Idaho Pathway program opens doors of learning around the world - by Liesl Nielsen, Brigham Young University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Artists Rönkkö and Turner bring their work to CSU-Pueblo - by Alec Herrera, Colorado State University - Pueblo

General Column Writing (Large)
Winner: LDS Church Should Apologize for Indian Placement Program, The Perilous Teachings of LDS Maternity, U - by Connor Richards, University of Utah
Finalist: Rosa Arambula - by Rosa Arambula, Weber State University

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: BYU's sexual assault misconduct policies scrutinized online; petition gaining steam- by Daily Universe Staff, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Band directors cut Trombone No. 5 routine due to cost, safety- by Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick, Colorado State University
Finalist: ASCSU accused of sexist office culture and a lack of diverse representation- by Erin Douglas, Colorado State University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Chasing the Dragon event sheds light on opiate addiction - by Samantha Baker, Colorado State University-Pueblo
Finalist: CSU-Pueblo honors veterans with ceremony at Southeast Asia Memorial - by Samantha Baker, Colorado State University-Pueblo

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Professor under scrutiny - by Alec Williams, Colorado Mesa University
Finalist: NCAA pay to play - by Sydney Jorgensen and Gavin Fowler, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Millenials and Religion - by Daily Universe Staff, Brigham Young University

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Trailblazin’ - by Logan Jones, Utah State University

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Differing philosophies frame debate over pitching injuries - by Cheyenne Costa, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Walk-on mentality shapes former BYU football player and current CEO - by Kristen Kerr, Brigham Young University

Online
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Rocky Mountain Collegian - by Julia Rentsch and Mikaela Rodenbaugh, Colorado State University

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Winner: CU Independent - by CU Independent staff, University of Colorado
Finalist: New Mexico News Port - by The staff and students of New Mexico News Port, University of New Mexico

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Elyria-Swansea and the voices behind I-70’s expansion - by Katie Newton, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: ‘Manipulative’ ministry’s controversy deepens as former members speak out - by Charlotte Bowditch, Jordyn Siemens and Xandra McMahon, University of Colorado
Finalist: CUI's Colorado Voter's Guide 2016 - by CU Independent Staff, University of Colorado
Finalist: Court disqualifies Revolution presidents-elect; first CUSG seats disqualified in 110 years - by Ellis Arnold, Charlotte Bowditch and Maggie Wagner, University of Colorado

Online News Reporting
Winner: The Plague of Pornography - by Sarah Averett and Mariana Chrisney, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Presidential election coverage and reaction - by Daily Universe Staff, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Pueblo Economic Forum 2016 highlights local economic and social challenges - by Ashleigh Hollowell, Colorado State University-Pueblo

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: The road to one final minute of playing time - Megan McNulty, Utah State University
Finalist: Men’s basketball features Bring a Kid to the Game Night and Alumni Night - Avery Lewis, Colorado State University-Pueblo

Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Girl on Girl columns - by Dani Pinkus, University of Colorado
Finalist: The sexual assault epidemic, part one: Austin Wilkerson and flaws in CU system - by Emily McPeak, University of Colorado
Finalist: Our Stance: A Daily Camera letter to editor was racist and tone-deaf - by Ellis Arnold, University of Colorado

Radio
Radio Feature
Winner: Creating and Maintaining Trails on Colorado's Prized 14ers is a Tall Order - by Dana Cronin, Colorado College
Finalist: Utah Man Masters Disability, Finds Joy In Building Custom Longboards - by Aimee Cobabe, Utah State University

Television
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: NoticieroTVMET Full Show Nov. 18, 2016 - by Staff of Noticiero TVMET, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: ElevenNEWS at Noon: Election Day - by ElevenNEWS at Noon staff, Brigham Young University
Finalist: The Met Report Full Show 11/4/16 - by Staff of Met Report, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: An Open Door for Homeless - by Jhocelyn Avendaño, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Vertical Fitness Club - by Josh Cozart, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Free Little Libraries create community in Logan - by Amy Reid, Utah State University

Television General News Reporting
Winner: USU ADA - by Amy Reid, Utah State University
Finalist: Air Buds - by Ashley Craven, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Flushing drugs and your water quality - by Amy Reid, Utah State University

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Severe Windstorm Damage - Brooke Porter, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Everybody Wants Some- An EMET Exclusive - Melanie Townsend, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: A-TV News - A-TV News Staff, Utah State University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Street Preachers on Campus - by Miranda McHodgkins, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Athlete Concussions - by Mercedes Erikson, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Proposition 106- by Andrea Herrera, Metropolitan State University of Denver

Television News and Feature Photography
Winner: Bell Guy - by Abbie Lewis, Utah State University
Finalist: Fall Harvest Festival – by Abbie Lewis, Utah State University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Varsity Quidditch Primer - by Claire King, Utah State University
Finalist: Men’s tennis breaks school record - by Amy Reid, Utah State University

Television Sports Photography
Winner: Chris Smiley: Outrunning Cancer - by John Madden, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Interview with Sophomore Pitcher Julian Garcia - by Anthony Rodriguez, Metropolitan State University of Denver

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