Ohio University named SPJ’s Outstanding Campus Chapter for fourth consecutive year

Home > SPJ News > Ohio University named SPJ’s Outstanding Campus Chapter for fourth consecutive year

9/6/2019

CONTACT:
Matthew Kent, Program Coordinator, 317-920-4788, mkent@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

SAN ANTONIO – For the fourth straight year, the Society of Professional Journalists selected Ohio University as the Outstanding Campus Chapter. This award honors chapters for their commitment to SPJ’s mission and to the journalism profession.

The Ohio University SPJ chapter excelled in both quality and number of programs. It continued popular programs of the past, such as a Grammar Smackdown, and introduced valuable new ones.

Programs for the year included a self-care workshop to help students cope with stress (including a therapy dog); a reverse press conference in which journalists and PR practitioners traded roles and a program featuring two Native American journalists who work for Indian Country Today.

There were in-depth looks at ethics (how the Indianapolis Star covered the USA Gymnastics sexual abuse scandal) and freedom of information (a workshop on filing public records requests).

Training on other skills was complemented by fun (pumpkin carving) and philanthropy (raising money for Ronald McDonald House).

The runner-up for Outstanding Campus Chapter is the University of Idaho.

SPJ’s regional directors and regional coordinators who judged the awards, liked a program the University of Idaho chapter held with two NPR war correspondents and a session in which fourth-graders got lessons on journalism skills and ethics.

Other notable sessions explored climate change and covering Native American communities. The chapter also hosted a public celebration of James Madison’s birthday and Freedom of Information Day.

Both chapters were honored today at the Student Union during the 2019 Excellence in Journalism Conference in San Antonio.

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.

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