Region 1 Mark of Excellence Awards 2022 winners announced

Home > SPJ News > Region 1 Mark of Excellence Awards 2022 winners announced

4/24/2023

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 1 with 2022 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 1 comprises Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. 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 1 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
Winner: East Side community members mourn victims of racially motivated mass shooting — by Grant Ashley, Moaz Elazzazi, Kyle Nguyen, Kayla Estrada, The Spectrum, University at Buffalo
Finalist: In U.S. News scandal, a confession, an apology, and previously unreleased data emerge — by Irie Sentner, Zachary Schermele, Andrew Park, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: It's gay — by The Harvard Crimson Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: AOII’s president spoke out about facing racial discrimination from her sorority — by Isabella Ramírez, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: The big scheme: How the Fox School of Business used rankings to intentionally deceive the public — by Jack Danz and Amelia Winger, The Temple News, Temple University
Finalist: SU students reflect on turbulent semester for housing — by Caroline Stevenson, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Massachusetts approves bill to allow medication abortion access in public universities — by Sophia Harris, The Gatepost, Framingham State University
Finalist: Labor difficulties at Rider — by Shaun Chornobroff, Amethyst Martinez and Kaitlyn McCormick, The Rider News, Rider University
Finalist: Syria rolls out the red carpet for friendly foreigners, while local reporters face death and prison — by Rayan El Amine, Coda Story, Vassar College

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Buffalo-based housing project fails to open on time, displaces UB students for nearly a semester — by Kyle Nguyen, The Spectrum, University at Buffalo
Finalist: Aloha ʻāina — by Kate Brennan, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Entitled to Equality — by The Entitled to Equality Staff, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: Title IX failures reveal systemic flaws in policy — by Lorien Tyne, The Ithacan, Ithaca College

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Thirty-Two Too — by Kylie Volavongsa, The New Journal, Yale University
Finalist: Clootie Wells — by Anjelica Singer, The Lion's Roar, The Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: The unprecedented UC president — by J. Sellers Hill and Amber H. Levis, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Boston buries its Black music — by Brandon Hill, The Hoopla (Self-Published Newsletter), Emerson College
Finalist: Nonprofit connects deaf students to resources, history, community — by Devin Yingling, The Hawk News, Saint Josephs University
Finalist: ‘The golden era of college radio’ — by Emily Rosenberg, The Gatepost, Framingham State University

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: The Daily Free Press — by Brett Abrams, Daily Free Press, Boston University
Finalist: ‘More than just the player’ | Ex-Penn State football player Aaron Maybin’s art, passion helping Balt — by Zach Allen, The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
Finalist: “Something was wrong and needed to be addressed” — by Madelyn Geyer, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: MyNeshia McKenzie: from court to courtside — by Jake Tiger, The Rider News, Rider University
Finalist: The grandmaster — by Joe Arruda, Pride Sports Journal, Springfield College
Finalist: 'Transgender student finds a community with men’s rugby' — by Aidan Charde, The Ithacan, Ithaca College

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Editorials — by The Crimson Editorial Board, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: Refocusing the city of Philadelphia — by Jemille Duncan, The Philadelphia Citizen, Swarthmore College
Finalist: Editorial Board column — by Loquitur Editorial Staff, The Loquitur, Cabrini University

General Column Writing
Winner: McKenzie Ward — by McKenzie Ward, The Gatepost, Framingham State University
Finalist: Harvard in numbers — by Aden Barton, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: Harvard everywhere — by Hana M. Kiros, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Harvard Crimson — by The Harvard Crimson Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: The Daily Free Press— by Staff, Daily Free Press, Boston University
Finalist: Columbia Daily Spectator — by Columbia Daily Spectator Staff, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Ithacan — by The Ithacan Staff, The Ithacan, Ithaca College
Finalist: The Rider News — by The Rider News staff, The Rider News, Rider University
Finalist: The Gatepost Editorial — by The Gatepost, The Gatepost, Framingham State University

Best Student Magazine
Winner: The Good Life — by The Good Life Staff, The Good Life, Syracuse University
Finalist: Crescent magazine — by Crescent magazine Editors, Crescent magazine, Southern Connecticut State University
Finalist: The OutCrowd — by Staff, The OutCrowd, Syracuse University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Harvard Crimson — by The Harvard Crimson Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: Columbia Daily Spectator — by Columbia Daily Spectator Staff, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: The 5 O’Clock Project — by The 5 O'Clock Project Staff, The 5 O'Clock Project, Syracuse University
Finalist: HarlemView — by HarlemView staff, HarlemView, City College of New York
Finalist: The Herring — by The Herring, The Herring, Amsterdam University College

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Chinese student vigil — by Zhixiang Wang, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Reaction — by Alysa Rubin, Comm Media, The Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Too close to home — by Elizabeth Napolitano, NYCity News Service, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

General News Photography
Winner: Ukraine rally: Protestors play their support for Ukraine — by Julian J. Giordano, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

Feature Photography
Winner: Call me baby — by Noah Riffe, Comm Media, The Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Near getaway — by Alicia Chiang, Comm Media, The Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: "With them, it’s a family" — by Amanda Salazar and Maja Clasen, NYCity News Service, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: Grit & glory — by Gavin Liddell, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Where the wild things are: The urban ecology of Harvard Square — by Ben Y. Cammarata, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: The last savings at Bengal Delta — by Mohammad Rakibul Hasan, The Business Standard, Falmouth University, UK

Illustration
Winner: “The Silence of the Lambs:” a most unexpected Valentine’s Day film — by Katherine Kiessling, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Is it time for a new mascot? MCCC students say yes! — by Liam Simonelli, The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College
Finalist: When home is school — by Sophia Lebowitz, Keith Paul Medelis and Mary Steffenhagen, NYCity News Service, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Photo Illustration
Winner: A mother, her daughter, and their university — by Lydia Herne, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Sports photo illustrations and photo gallery promos — by Carolo Pascale, The Rider News, Rider University

Sports Photography
Winner: The firework — by Alexis Friedman, The Hofstra Chronicle, Hofstra University
Finalist: Slap back — by Kayla Breen, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Scoring points on campus — by Luke Molwitz, Crescent magazine, Southern Connecticut State University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Giving students a voice — by Liam Simonelli, The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College
Finalist: The Vector cartoons — by Sreya Das, The Vector Newspaper, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Aloha ʻāina — by Kate Brennan, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Entitled to Equality — by The Entitled to Equality Staff, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Where Harvard’s legacy of slavery lives today — by Harvard Crimson News Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

News Videography
Winner: Tough time for Brooklyn Street vendors — by Maricela Niola, HarlemView, The City College of New York
Finalist: Don’t shoot: aiming to end gun violence — by Charlene Wiatta Freeman, 219West TV News Magazine, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Mass. fish hatchery supports anglers and wildlife — by Sophia Giordano, WEBN, Emerson College

Feature Videography
Winner: LGBTQ elders — by Gary Hilborn, Harlem View, The City College of New York
Finalist: Ad Chief graduates more than 30 years later — by Craig Hunter, HarlemView, City College of New York
Finalist: Luna Park looks beyond the pandemic — by Pumla Kalipa, 219West TV News Magazine, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Sports Videography
Winner: Never stand still — by Manuel Serrano and Averi Coppa, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Game changer — by Sarah Russo, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: SATURDAY SCENES: #18 Syracuse sends NC State packing — by Andrew Selover, Chilekasi Adele, CitrusTV, Syracuse University

Data Visualization
Winner: With improved homecoming performances, Columbia football looks to continue success — by Rebecca Wachen, Andrew Park, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Vaccine disparities continue in West Harlem in wake of new COVID-19 booster — by Adina Cazacu-De Luca, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: The rush to shelter asylum seekers — by Yvonne Marquez, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Union members protest outside the Brooklyn Museum — by Tasha Sandoval, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Electric vehicles for Earth Day — by Jay Bradley, WICB-FM, Ithaca College

Radio Feature
Winner: Growing for New York’s retail cannabis market — by Trina Mannino, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: "The Band's Visit:" Interview with Ali Bourzgui — by Caroline Grass, WICB-FM, Ithaca College
Finalist: Lauren Haffner on CommRadio — by Lauren Haffner, CommRadio, The Pennsylvania State University

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Queer spaces in Ithaca — by Newt Andia and Chloe Johnston, WICB-FM, Ithaca College
Finalist: Syracuse University community reacts to Antisemitic references in Remembrance Archives — by John Perik, NCC News, Syracuse University
Finalist: The fight to prevent construction worker deaths — by Laura Bratton, 219West TV News Magazine, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Quidditch levels the playing field for all genders — by Sophia Moore, WAER 88.3, Syracuse University
Finalist: Cuthbert spring sports preview — by Thomas Cuthbert, WRKC, King's College
Finalist: World Cup Fever hits NYC — by Trina Mannino, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Podcast (Narrative)
Winner: Home ed — by Mary Steffenhagen, NYCity News Service, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Behind the farms: Farmworker seek rights — by Damali Ramirez, Long Island Advocate, Hofstra University
Finalist: The facts behind felines: An up-close look at the ‘Hofcats’ — by Hunter Spears, Long Island Advocate, Hofstra University

Podcast (Conversational)
Winner: How are you, actually? — by Katelyn Smith and Lou Baron, WICB-FM, Ithaca College
Finalist: 4 Black editors — by Simi Olurin, The Yale Daily News, Yale University
Finalist: Is human composing the next big thing? — by AudioFiles Staff, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY

Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Penn State cancels controversial event over security concerns — by Isabella Leahy, Matthew Noah, Penn State's CommMedia, WPSU, YouTube, Penn State University
Finalist: Fire destroys two homes on Ackerman Avenue — by Nicole Aponte, CitrusTV, Syracuse University

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Micron computer chip plant forces clay neighbors out — by Nicole Aponte, CitrusTV, Syracuse University
Finalist: The World Cafe Live reopens after months of COVID-19 health restrictions — by Sarah Weitzman, Chris Malo, Staff, TUTV- The Temp, Temple University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Paying forward the American Dream — by Louise Rath, NCC News, Syracuse University
Finalist: Piled up: ‘Trash Walker’ aims to zap waste — by Sophia Lebowitz, 219West TV News Magazine, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Caylix’s Story: A reason for rhythm — by Preston Shoemaker, Penn State's CommMedia, WPSU, YouTube, Penn State University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Ithaca Starbucks Employees Campaign to Unionize — by Emily Hung, Ithaca College Television (ICTV), Ithaca College
Finalist: Home and Held Hostage: Digging into four years of public records reveals troubled nursing home — by Imani Clement, Iyee Jagne, Emma Folts, NCC News, Syracuse University
Finalist: Home And Held Hostage: Green National’s legion of lawsuits spur on little progress — by Alaina Losito, Morgan Scott, Andriana Loh, NCC News, Syracuse University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Sports Final - IC Mental Health Performance — by Josh Hobbs, Ithaca College Television (ICTV), Ithaca College
Finalist: From Granite to Greatness — by Eric Fenstermaker, Penn State's CommMedia, WPSU, YouTube, Penn State University

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: Newswatch — by Grant Johnson, David Teska, Paige Morrissey and Jordan Broking, Ithaca College Television, Ithaca College
Finalist: Temple Update — by Rochelle Davis, Porter Deacon, Olivia Benner, Gabe Lourido, TUTV (Temple University Television), Temple University
Finalist: Centre County Report — by Centre County Report, Penn State's CommMedia, WPSU, YouTube Live Stream, Penn State University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Centre County Report in Scotland — by Centre County Report In Scotland Staff, Penn State's CommMedia, WPSU, YouTube Live Stream, Penn State University
Finalist: Season of Renewal — by 219West TV News Magazine Staff, 219West TV News Magazine, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: A Time of Reform — by Brooke Vogel, Inbaayini Anbarasan, Griffin Homan and Jordan Broking, Ithaca College Television (ICTV), Ithaca College

All Platform

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Lynn Hall — by Alicia Chang, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Choreographer and Filmmaker Yvonne Rainer Reflects On Her 60-year Career — by Trina Mannino, AudioFiles, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: A new frightening record in jump scare’s 80-year history — by Piper Starnes, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Theater commentary — by Vivienne N. Germain, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Finalist: The Boston Globe Cultural Criticism — by Joy Ashford, The Boston Globe, Harvard College
Finalist: Columbia Daily Spectator Film Criticism — by Allanah Elster, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: The saga of Celsius: What the energy drink reveals about tensions between Barnard Dining and student — by Isabella Farfan, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Eating up the growing South Bronx restaurant scene — by ET Rodriguez, Mott Haven Herald, Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY
Finalist: Recovered from Superstorm Sandy, Freeport’s Nautical Mile is evolving — by Taylor Nicioli, The Long Island Advocate, Hofstra University

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