Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards 2022 winners announced

Home > SPJ News > Region 2 Mark of Excellence Awards 2022 winners announced

4/3/2023

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@spj.org
Kimberly Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 2 with 2022 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 MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the SPJ’s 2023 convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 28-30.

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.

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

Print/Online

Breaking News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Community shares personal stories at candlelight vigil — by Charlotte Matherly and Amy Needham, The Breeze, James Madison University
Finalist: SA executive cabinet members vote to remove Zidouemba as presidency hangs in question — by Erika Filter, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University
Finalist: In historic vote, Senate confirms Jackson as first Black woman justice on Supreme Court — by Margaret Attridge, Ross O’Keefe, Chris Barylick and Ashkan Motamedi, Capital News Service, University of Maryland

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Ian's interruption: Elon students, families work around storm — by Sophie Rosenthal, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: UR renames six buildings tied to enslavers, eugenicists — by Jackie Llanos and Madyson Fitzgerald, The Collegian, University of Richmond
Finalist: College unveils three-phase plan to transform 80% of residence, dining facilities over next 10 years — by Lulu Dawes, The Flat Hat, William & Mary

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Historic Black cemetery given long-absent recognition — by William Becker, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
Finalist: VCU alcohol violations plummeted, students switching to cannabis — by Selna Shi, The Commonwealth Times, Virginia Commonwealth University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Students walk out to protest University’s response to sexual violence — by staff, The Eagle, American University
Finalist: Following weeklong strike, University and staff union come to an agreement on contract — by staff, The Eagle, American University
Finalist: Upcoming tuition increase pushes local Elon University students to look into commuting — by Naomi Washington, Elon News Network, Elon University

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Howard, student protesters entered ‘confidentiality’ agreement to settle 2021 Blackburn takeover — by Tamilore Oshikanlu, Alecia Taylor and Makenna Underwood, The Hilltop, Howard University
Finalist: UMD student health insurance sees largest price hike in a decade — by Hannah Ziegler, The Diamondback, University of Maryland
Finalist: Black football players say Durham sheriff’s office gave distorted account of traffic stops — by Charlotte Kramon, The 9th Street Journal, Duke University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: ‘It's literally just about keeping people alive’: Harm reduction advocates push for access to Narcan — by Nina Heller, The Eagle, American University
Finalist: Keeping faith: The intersection of religion and national identity in Ukraine — by Madeleine Long, Pulitzer Center, University of Richmond

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: ‘It was an ass-whoopin’: 2002 Maryland football team reflects on Peach Bowl win — by Noah Ferguson, The Diamondback, University of Maryland
Finalist: The tale of the ten Little Mill houses — by Akiya Dillon, The 9th Street Journal, Duke University
Finalist: Why some Howard students are turning to GoFundMe to help pay tuition balances — by Jasper Smith, The Hilltop, Howard University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Gibsonville’s first female-owned tattoo studio leaves its mark — by Kyra O'Connor, Elon News Network, Elon University

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: Perfection: Maryland men’s lacrosse defeats Cornell, 9-7, clinches fourth NCAA championship — by Nicky Wolcott, The Diamondback, University of Maryland
Finalist: Mountaineers outlast Trojans in new ‘Miracle on the Mountain’ — by Dan Davidson and James Parker, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Elon baseball player deals with diabetes on, off the diamond — by Jacob Kisamore, Elon News Network, Elon University

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Editorials — by staff, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University
Finalist: Editorials — by Riley Goodfellow, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University

General Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Rohin Mishra, The Diamondback, University of Maryland
Finalist: Columns — by Ella Adams, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Columns — by Jelinda Montes, The Eagle, American University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Appalachian — by staff, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Pendulum — by staff, Elon News Network, Elon University

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

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Appalachian website — by staff, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: The GW Hatchet — by staff, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Weaver fertilizer plant fire — by Luke Johnson, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: Art sculpture, Wey Hall vandalized after game days — by Hiatt Ellis, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

General News Photography
Winner: ABSS celebrates first day of new school year — by Clare Grant, Elon News Network, Elon University

Feature Photography
Winner: Snapshot: A president pondering promising victory — by Allison Robbert, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University
Finalist: Otis the duck — by Cooper Lyon, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: Boone Barbies give back to community, drag for charity — by Evan Bates, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: The story of Boone’s first mosque — by Samuel Cooke, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
Finalist: Hundreds take to D.C. to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — by Cam Andrews, Daryl Perry and Christine Zhu, The Diamondback, University of Maryland

Illustration
Winner: Food insecurity at VCU — by Tess Wladar, The Commonwealth Times, Virginia Commonwealth University

Sports Photography
Winner: Spiders lose to Wichita State despite second half push — by Thomas Takele, The Collegian, University of Richmond
Finalist: App State stalls against No. 20 Texas State, loses series 0-3 — by Hiatt Ellis, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Monkeypox, mazza and more bomb threats — by Olivia Green, The Hilltop, Howard University
Finalist: WCU fees change amid student confusion and concerns — by Nick Childs and Liam Bridgeman, Western Carolina Journalist, Western Carolina University
Finalist: Elon University move-in — by staff, Elon News Network, Elon University

Feature Videography
Winner: Buddhist monk completes green tara sand mandala — by Erin Martin, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: Why the Muscarelle Museum of Art is closing — by Taiga Lewis, The Flat Hat, William & Mary

Data Visualization
Winner: In Maryland’s opioid crisis, fentanyl is driving deaths across the board — by Kyle Russo, Capital News Service, University of Maryland
Finalist: Kern-Scheerer, Pons secure seats on Williamsburg’s City Council, Kiggans wins Virginia’s Second District — by Lisa Coleman, The Flat Hat, William & Mary
Finalist: ‘It’s everywhere’: Fatal overdose numbers still higher than pre-pandemic — by Natalie Barr, VCU Capital News Service, Virginia Commonwealth University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: Car accident deaths in NC are increasing. Distracted driving is part of the reason — by Lilly Clark, Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: ‘B Daht,’ the Dean Dome’s new arena host, hopes to fire up the fans – and spread a positive message — by Daniel Myrick, Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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

Podcast
Winner: Beneath the Surface: The Dalkon Shield — by Jackie Llanos, Madyson Fitzgerald and Caio Rodolfo, The Collegian, University of Richmond
Finalist: D.C. sanctuary city — by staff, thewash.org, American University

Broadcast

Television General News Reporting
Winner: WCU students fight for gender neutral bathrooms — by Hailey Pait, Western Carolina Journalist, Western Carolina University
Finalist: Ranked-choice voting — by Jessica Umbro, CNS-TV NEWS, University of Maryland
Finalist: Tough economy — by Madeline Herron, CNS-TV NEWS, University of Maryland

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Graham, NC community remembers 9/11 — by Margaret Faust, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: Boxing mentor — by Jack White, CNS-TV NEWS, University of Maryland
Finalist: Mobile barber — by Abigail Russ, CNS-TV NEWS, University of Maryland

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Nursing shortage — by Jack White, CNS-TV News, University of Maryland
Finalist: Women baseball payers — by Kevin McNulty, CNS-TV News, University of Maryland

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Dontrez Styles: Injury to Impact — by Davonte Anthony, Sports Xtra, North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Finalist: Go-kart girls — by Valeria Gonzalez, CNS-TV News, University of Maryland
Finalist: Day in the life of a college golfer — by Erin Martin, Elon News Network, Elon University

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: Elon Local News — by staff, Elon News Network, Elon University
Finalist: VCU InSight — by Jessica Johnson, Kayla Monroe, Lindsey West and Hadia Moosvi, VCU InSight, Virginia Commonwealth University
Finalist: Carolina Week — by staff, Carolina Week, North Carolina at Chapel Hill

All Platforms

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: ‘Organic and childish’: Art professor encourages comics and creativity — by Carli Johnson, The Appalachian, Appalachian State University

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: The history of soul food and its roots in D.C. — by Chloe Kearin Willeford, The GW Hatchet, The George Washington University

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