Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced

Home > SPJ News > Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced

4/11/2022

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, 317-920-4786, lharry@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 2 with 2021 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 2 comprises Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. 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 MediaFest22 convention in Washington, D.C., Oct. 27-30.

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 2 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards Lou Harry by email or 317-920-4786.

This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries. New MOE categories were added this year for cultural criticism, arts/fashion journalism and food/restaurant journalism.

Print/Online

Breaking News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Pro-Trump mob storms U.S. Capitol building in stunning clash with police over election results — by Zach Schonfeld, George Washington University
Finalist: Senate acquits Trump of inciting Capitol attack, though bipartisan majority finds him guilty — by Hannah Fields and Jennifer Mandato, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Blackburn takeover: Howard University student protests — by The Hilltop staff, Howard University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Student charged with felony for bomb threat on Sadler Center — by Lulu Dawes, William & Mary
Finalist: Provost’s mental health comment in office hours sparks outrage, petition for removal — by Claire Hogan, William & Mary
Finalist: UR Here Giving Day paused following calls for community members to abstain from donating — by Morgan Howland, University of Richmond

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: The Commonwealth Times covers the hazing death of Adam Oakes — by Sahara Sriraman, Katharine DeRosa, Anna Chen, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Stories on the Maryland healthcare system — by Trisha Ahmed, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Trustees supported LeBlanc amid calls to resign, retirement announcement — by Isha Trivedi, George Washington University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Black Student Coalition demands renaming of buildings named after enslaver, eugenicist — by The Collegian staff, University of Richmond
Finalist: Family of former AU student starts organization to bring awareness to fentanyl overdoses — by Kelsey Carolan, American University
Finalist: Town of Pembroke awarded $5.2 million DoT grant — by Zachary C. Young, University of North Carolina Pembroke

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: US deems migrant seafood workers ‘essential’ but limits their COVID-19 protections — by Capital News Service staff, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Over 20% of children in Jackson County are food insecure — by Sara Stanley, Western Carolina University
Finalist: The COVID-19 pandemic and mental health — by Kelly Livingston, The University of Maryland

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: 84 forced hospitalizations in six years: students' negative experiences with mental health services — by Alexandra Byrne, William & Mary
Finalist: Multiple sexual misconduct complaints filed against former University chaplain — by Skye Witley, American University
Finalist: AU decision makers: What trustees bring to the table — by Abigail Pritchard, Riley Gillis, American University

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Adoption and foster care during the COVID-19 pandemic — by Clara Longo de Freitas , The University of Maryland
Finalist: Local pastor struggles on the road to equality — by Jake Conley, James Madison University
Finalist: Indianapolis’ Black music scene comes to life at NCAA men’s basketball tournament — by David Suggs, University of Maryland

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Ronald Crutcher reflects on the Westham Burying Ground — by Morgan Howland, University of Richmond
Finalist: Art imitating life: Pride Week’s LGBTQ+ and POC art gallery showcases work from student, alumni — by Adithi Ramakrishnan, William & Mary
Finalist: Williamsburg as we know it — by Mary Trimble, William & Mary

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: App State football super seniors: how the pandemic created a rare opportunity — by Silas Albright, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Student-athletes experience burnout, increased stress during pandemic — by Nuria Diaz, George Washington University
Finalist: Former women’s basketball athlete alleges unfair treatment from program — by Iman Mekonen and Sarah Elson, Virginia Commonwealth University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Do student athletes come from more privileged backgrounds? — by Alexandra Byrne, William & Mary
Finalist: Murphy’s baseball: Leaving behind a legacy of lasting friendships and drive beyond the diamond — by Lexie Hiestand, William & Mary
Finalist: Conference Carolinas' soccer champs — by Mahala Treish, University of North Carolina Pembroke

Editorial Writing
Winner: Columns — by Ashleigh Fields, Howard University
Finalist: Columns — by Andrew Sugrue and Shreeya Aranake, George Washington University
Finalist: Notes from a college newspaper ombudsman — by Matt Lowrie, William & Mary

General Column Writing
Winner: — by Zeniya Cooley, George Washington University
Finalist: — by Anthony Liberatori, University of Maryland
Finalist: Through Ella's eyes — by Ella Adams, Appalachian State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The GW Hatchet — by staff, George Washington University
Finalist: The Breeze — by staff, James Madison University
Finalist: The Appalachian — by staff, Appalachian State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Flat Hat — by staff, William & Mary
Finalist: The Pine Needle — by staff, University of North Carolina Pembroke

Best Student Magazine
Winner: Amendment Literary and Art Journal — by staff, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Pwatem Literary and Art Journal — by staff, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Ink Magazine — by staff, Virginia Commonwealth University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Appalachian website — by staff, Appalachian State University
Finalist: The GW Hatchet — staff by, George Washington University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: 101Magazine.net — by Lauryn Forbes, Bria Scott, Howard University
Finalist: Echoes of Appalachia — by CPJW staff, University of North Carolina
Finalist: Howard University News Service — by staff, Howard University

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Pro-Trump mob storms U.S. Capitol building in stunning clash with police over election results — by Zach Brien, George Washington University
Finalist: Watauga County Sheriff standoff leaves five dead, including two deputies — by Max Correa, Appalachian State University

Breaking News Photography
Finalist: Hyattsville barbershop holds COVID-19 vaccine clinic with UMD, Luminis Health partnership — by Julia Nikhinson, University of Maryland

General News Photography (Large)
Winner: ‘Surthriving’ in a liminal education — by Kara Haselton, Appalachian State University
Finalist: After Atlanta shooting, UMD students hold vigil to heal and confront anti-Asian hate — by Eric Harkleroad, University of Maryland
Finalist: Robert E. Lee monument to come down — by Megan Lee, Virginia Commonwealth University

General News Photography (Small)
Winner: Murdered and missing Indigenous women — by Mahala Treish, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Finalist: Vanilla Ice homecoming show — by Alyssa Hernandez, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Finalist: Native youth roadside cleanup — by Zachary C. Young, University of North Carolina Pembroke

Feature Photography
Winner: Beauty in business: Student-owned lash business offers affordable services to community — by Evan Bates, Appalachian State University
Finalist: From Blue Ridge to Blue Room: Local tree selected for White House display — by Jesse Barber, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Sculptor and painter Keith Ramsey — by Enza Marcy, Virginia Commonwealth University

Sports Photography (Large)
Winner: Catch at third — by Trevor Cockburn, James Madison University
Finalist: Sliding into third — by Trevor Cockburn, James Madison University
Finalist: App State trounces Elon in 44-10 home opener — by Max Correa, Appalachian State University

Sports Photography (Small)
Winner: UNCP women's basketball — by Andrew Thrift, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Finalist: UNCP soccer — by Andrew Thrift, University of North Carolina Pembroke
Finalist: UNCP military appreciation — by Andrew Thrift, University of North Carolina Pembroke

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Cartoons — by Lauren Johnson, Virginia Commonwealth University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: White-owned newspapers fueled the 1919 Elaine massacre — by Nick McMillan, Jenna Cohen, Madison Peek and Clara Longo de Freitas, The University of Maryland
Finalist: ‘Building the plane as we fly it’ — by Jackie Park and Mickey Hutchings, Appalachian State University

Broadcast/Online News Videography
Winner: ‘I need people to care’: The voices of UMD’s vigil for victims of anti-Asian hate — by Amelia Jarecke and Kimi Fleming, University of Maryland
Finalist: Desperate for diapers — by Annabelle Janssens, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Helping Tyler Heights — by Dominick Waldman, The University of Maryland

Broadcast/Online Feature Videography
Winner: A horse from heaven — by Kimi Fleming, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Plant therapy — by Garrett Mogge, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Community growth — by Dominick Acierno, The University of Maryland

Data Visualization
Winner: Initiatives take on the challenge of cleaning the Baltimore Harbor, but problems run deep — by James Hartner and Taneen Momeni, The University of Maryland
Finalist: ‘An aggressive wave’ of voting laws nationwide, in charts — by Aadit Tambe, The University of Maryland

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: For people with eating disorders, the pandemic is ‘almost tailor made’ for relapses — by Charlotte Ix, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Radio Feature
Winner: Mushroom foragers find delicacies in the most unlikely places — by Ava Pukatch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Radio Sports Reporting
Finalist: Roy Williams retires as UNC men’s basketball coach, saying he’s no longer ‘the right man’ for the job — by Ben Rappaport, Ava Pukatch, Zach Engler and Aurora Charlow, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Carolina Connection — by staff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Podcast
Winner: Behind the scenes of LGBTQ TikTok — by Offbeat staff, University of Maryland
Finalist: ‘Getting to the Bottom of It’: The pandemic’s impact on higher education — by Alec Rich and Gwyn Wheeler, George Washington University
Finalist: Appalachian Dispatch: Student media and the year like no other — by Jackie Park and Mickey Hutchings, Appalachian State University

Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Thank you Coach Williams — by Chip Sweeney, Edward Trentzch, Nick Perlin and Erin Jenkins, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Finalist: Coaches and Gymnasts demand change after sexual assault victims testify — by Glory Ngwe, The University of Maryland
Finalist: D.C. LGBTQ+ shelter struggling to stay open after losing government funding — by Michael Hernandez, The University of Maryland

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Desperate for diapers — by Annabelle Janssens, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Alexa Casciano: From hell and back — by Edward Trentzch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Finalist: ‘The Holy Spirit was blowing through’ — by Morgan Pravato, The University of Maryland

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: A horse from heaven — by Kimi Fleming, The University of Maryland
Finalist: One more year — by Dominick Waldman, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Crystals in commemoration — by Morgan Pravato, The University of Maryland

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: One more year — by Dominick Waldman, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Big Ten diversity — by Katie Maher, The University of Maryland

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Jake Funk's comeback — by Katie Maher, The University of Maryland
Finalist: Women's hockey exploding in NC — by Edward Trentzch, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Finalist: Lacrosse equity — by Steve Mehling, The University of Maryland

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Finalist: Finding community — by ViewFinder - CNS staff, The University of Maryland
Winner: Carolina Week — by staff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Finalist: Capital News Service — by staff, The University of Maryland

All platforms

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Cultural Criticism — by Aubrey Smith, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Cultural Criticism — by Alexandra Bowman, Georgetown University

Arts/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Exhibition simulates mental health disorders to raise awareness — by Grace McOmber, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Changing the tune: Music student seniors in the age of COVID-19 — by Kara Haselton, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Sophomore breaks into D.C. drag scene during pandemic — by Nora Fitzgerald and Stella Lanuti, George Washington University

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: How the pandemic changed GW’s food truck scene — by David Brothers, George Washington University
Finalist: App State football player to tackle New York culinary school — by Lily Kincaid, Dan Davidson and Kara Haselton, Appalachian State University

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