Region 1 Mark of Excellence Awards 2023 winners announced

Home > SPJ News > Region 1 Mark of Excellence Awards 2023 winners announced

4/22/2024

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

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 1 with 2023 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.

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 (Large)
Winner: Students react with anger, activism after Palestinian student shot in Vermont — by Staff, The Brown Daily Herald, Brown University
Finalist: Four Harvard Students held at gunpoint by campus police in ‘swatting’ attack — by J. Sellers Hill, Ryan H. Doan-Nguyen, Nia L. Orakwue, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Forty-one students arrested following second sit-in demanding divestment, ceasefire — by Anisha Kumar, Owen Dahlkamp, The Brown Daily Herald, Brown University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Rutgers week long strike marks historic win for union workers — by Julia Meriney, Ruby Voge, Jessica Romero Silver, The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Tobacco regulations and Indigenous voices in New Zealand — by Simar Bajaj, NPR, Harvard University
Finalist: Barnard altered its policies after removing a ‘Solidarity with Palestine’ statement — by Shea Vance, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: New wave of asylum seekers needs bilingual education — by Astra Montanez, Harlem View, The City College of New York

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: ‘Not again’: False active shooter incident causes real trauma — by Mackenzie Allen, The Hawk Newspaper, St. Joseph's University
Finalist: Chemistry professor put on leave after student allegations of harassment — by Julia Meriney, Zlatin Ivanov, The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Educational disparities in Philadelphia — by Elizabeth DeOrnellas, Fallon Roth, Edith Mwangi, The Logan Center for Urban Investigative
Finalist: Buried beneath: The fight to clean up toxic contamination in the Bronx — by Aminata Gueye, Ryan Pullido, Emmanuel Valerio, Pablo Reyes., Citylimits, City University of New York
Finalist: Climate adaptation in Namibia’s drought-stricken Kunene region — by Mandile Mpofu, Pulitzer Center, Boston University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: Experiences of BIPOC students in performing arts reveal patterns of discrimination at Ithaca College — by Prakriti Panwar, The Ithacan, Ithaca College
Finalist: New England has a Nazi problem -- here's how activists around the Boston area are fighting it — by Cayenn Landau, Natalie F. Kahn, The Justice, Brandeis University
Finalist: Ithaca College community questions Yellow Deli and Twelve Tribes presence — by Caitlin Holtzman, The Ithacan, Ithaca College

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Guinea pig elegy in three movements — by Mira Sydow, The Woodlands Magazine, University of Pennsylvania
Finalist: Napalm, birthed in Harvard’s basement — by Ryan H. Đoàn-Nguyễn, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: How Gen Z became the face of skincare marketing — by Jenny DeStefano, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Unafraid to be unique: ‘Napoleon Boy’ — by Layla Warshaw, The Brown and White, Lehigh University
Finalist: The guardian of the North Cut — by Cayenn Landau, The Justice, Brandeis University
Finalist: AUC Student Milus Tóth has sued the Dutch Government – and won thousands of euros — by Levin Stamm, Lisa Jesudas, The Herring, Amsterdam University College

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: American colleges feed the Women’s World Cup with talent — by Joe Lister, Comm Media, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Breaking the ice: Social, geographic, and financial barriers create obstacles for ice hockey — by Heather Chen, Erica Lee, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Colleges lacks resources for addiction to online sports gambling — by Lizzy Reardon, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Is the Tenney Stadium turf responsible for ACL injury concerns? — by Max Zart, Centerfield / Marist Circle, Marist College
Finalist: The center at center stage: Football player shares his passion for performance — by Ray Milburn, The Ithacan, Ithaca College

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: The Crimson Editorial Board — by Editorial Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: The Gatepost Editorials — by Editorial Board, The Gatepost, Framingham State
Finalist: Showcasing the highs and lows of Black art — by Brianna Harris, Okayplayer, Baruch College

General Column Writing
Winner: Outside the binary — by Mujuni Mirembe, The Brown and White, Lehigh University
Finalist: Columns — by Leighah Beausoleil, The Gatepost, Framingham State
Finalist: Harvard’s professional pipelines — by Julien Berman, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Harvard Crimson — by Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: The Vector — by Staff, The Vector, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Finalist: The Brown Daily Herald — by Staff, The Brown Daily Herald, Brown University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Ithacan — by Staff, The Ithacan, Ithaca College
Finalist: The Globe — by Staff, The Globe, Point Park University

Best Single-issue Student Magazine
Winner: Scienceline KIDS — by Staff, Scienceline, New York University

Best Ongoing Student Magazine
Winner: Moody Magazine — by Staff, Moody Magazine, Syracuse University
Finalist: The New Journal — by Staff, The New Journal, Yale University
Finalist: Jerk — by Staff, Jerk, Syracuse University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: Columbia Daily Spectator — by Staff, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Zipped — by Staff, Zipped, Syracuse University
Finalist: Moody Magazine — by Staff, Moody Magazine, Syracuse University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Infodemic — by Staff, Infodemic, Syracuse University
Finalist: NYCity News Service — by Staff, NYCity News Service, City University of New York

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Stranded in Senegal — by Mark Benchereau, NYCity News Service, City University of New York
Finalist: Rutgers week long strike marks historic win for union workers — by Julia Meriney, The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College
Finalist: Take Back the Night — by Bennett Hense, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

General News Photography
Winner: Harvard Art Museums ‘Die-in’ — by J. Sellers Hill, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Feature Photography
Winner: Boston Ballet’s Fall Experience — by Addison Y. Lui, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Whipping up some fun — by Maddison Behringer, The Gatepost, Framingham State
Finalist: Exploring all seven continents — by Phoebe Schechner, Crescent magazine, Southern Connecticut State University

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: Southside footsteps — by Xinning Li, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Pro-Palestine Harvard Students occupy University Hall for 24 hours — by Joey Huang, Julian J. Giordano, Frank S. Zhou, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Fans of the world: The 2023 Women’s World Cup down under — by Alysa Rubin, Penn State/AP, Pennsylvania State University

Illustration
Winner: The Housing Issue — by Mindy Choi, The Hawk Newspaper, St. Joseph's University
Finalist: Peer wellness — by Areej Qamar, The Vector, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Finalist: Looking for a dean — by Toby R. Ma, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Photo Illustration
Winner: Fresh Squeezed Sports Podcast covers — by Cole Ross, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Doechii live in concert — by Maxine Wallace, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Gay testifies before Congress on antisemitism — by Toby R. Ma, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Sports Photography
Winner: Cup consolation — by Rafaela Pontes, AP/Penn State, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Flippin' football — by Kayla Breen, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: Eliminated — by Rafaela Pontes, AP/Penn State, Pennsylvania State University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Queens street name stories — by Staff, NYCity News Service, City University of New York

News Videography
Winner: Coney Island residents oppose Casion — by Rhiannon Rashidi, Harlem View, The City College of New York

Feature Videography
Winner: Kay & Mal — by Collin Bell, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Finalist: The hair of the doll — by Sonja Anderson, Amaya McDonald, NYCity News Service, City University of New York
Finalist: Dandelion — by Wendy Wang, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Data Visualization
Winner: Medical center to launch ‘diversity in clinical trials’ training program as racial disparities — by Adina Cazacu-De Luca, Paulette Del Valle, Rainier Harris, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Two weeks before elections, incumbent Cambridge councilors lead fundraising race — by Julian J. Giordano, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: How tenants could change the future of NYCHA — by Kimberly Izar, AudioFiles, City University of New York
Finalist: Community activists call on Gov. Hochul to sign the Wrongful Conviction Act — by Alex Krales, AudioFiles, City University of New York
Finalist: Hidden identity — by Ronnie Parrillo, NCC News, Syracuse University

Radio Feature
Winner: Maggie Michael's road from Cairo to Yemen to a Pultizer — by Vereena Bishoy El-Kess Armia Boules, AUC Radio, The American University in Cairo
Finalist: A modern look at a 4,000-year-old game — by Kimberly Izar, AudioFiles, City University of New York

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: How museums can misrepresent people and cultures — by Charles Sirey, WAER, Syracuse University
Finalist: Phone scammers wreak havoc on Americans and their wallets — by Alejandro Rosales, WAER, Syracuse University

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Playing for something bigger — by Jordan Leonard, WAER, Syracuse University
Finalist: Big game update — by Nicholas Lubrano, Matthew Sosler, Jayden Becker, Dane Richardson., WICB-FM, Ithaca College

Podcast (Narrative)
Winner: The Unabomber: The man, the myth, and the manifesto — by Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Mapping rurality: Defining Columbia’s ‘rural student’ — by Claire Schnatterbeck, Claire Burke, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: Pandas on Ice: The story of America's first women's college hockey team — by STaff, The Brown Daily Herald, Brown University

Podcast (Conversational)
Winner: Affirmative Action falls: Inside the protests at Harvard and Washington D.C. — by Staff, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Franco's immaculate legacy — by Josh Moyer, Ben Taylor, Adam Babetski, Karyn Schaller, Bellisario Podcasting, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: To tell the truth: An NCC News Spotlight podcast — by Jared Johnston; Zach Goldman; Jack Oberlander; Kamryn Page, NCC News Spotlight Team, Syracuse University

Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Pro-Palestinian protestors gather at Syracuse University — by Peyton Spellacy, CitrusTV, Syracuse University
Finalist: Two people detained during free speech rally — by Emily McGlynn, Centre County Report, Pennsylvania State University

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Syracuse reacts to controversial speaker — by Nicole Aponte, CitrusTV, Syracuse University
Finalist: Zipcar zooms out of Syracuse — by John Perik, NCC News, Syracuse University
Finalist: Local reaction to escalating Israel-Hamas war — by Olivia Jean, Centre County Report, Pennsylvania State University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Miraculous Marathon Meg — by John Perik, CitrusTV, Syracuse University
Finalist: The HK Unicorn Squad: Empowering women and girls in Estonia — by Hannah Markovich, Centre County Report, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Preaching pride to the choir — by Nicole Aponte, NCC News, Syracuse University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Estonia’s past influences current military stance — by Carlos Garcia, Centre County Report, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: ICTV Reports: Drag performers create community in small cities — by Grant Johnson, Ithaca College Television, Ithaca College
Finalist: Sidelined — by Naoufal Enhari, Amanda Kari McHugh, 219West TV News Magazine, City University of New York

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Fighting For Rudy: A source of inspiration — by Dugan Lloyd, Centre County Report, Pennsylvania State University
Finalist: Is Syracuse/Clemson really a rivalry? — by Chilekasi Adele, CitrusTV, Syracuse University
Finalist: Penn State Boxing: A century and counting — by Juan Mendez, Centre County Report, Penn State University

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: Centre County Report — by Staff, Centre County Report, Penn State University
Finalist: CitrusTV News Live at 6 — by Staff, CitrusTV, Syracuse University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Hofstra Today — by Grace Madden, Emma Pelletier, and the Hofstra Today team, HEAT Network, Hofstra University

All Platform

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Les Adore shakes up production at Harvard — by Katie A. Silverman, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Jah Fiinesse goes lyrical — by Othniel Cassie Jr, Harlem View, The City College of New York
Finalist: Arts columns — by Vivienne N. Germain, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University

Campus Reporting
Winner: Doxxed Harvard students decry online harassment, call for greater support from University — by Joyce E. Kim, Asher J. Montgomery, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: ‘We’re the ones being targeted’: Pro-Palestinian affiliates report harassment, threats — by Esha Karam, Sarah Huddleston, Sabrina Ticer-Wurr, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University
Finalist: ‘A structural issue that no one seems to be working to solve’: Barnard transfer students report — by Maya Stahl, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Difficult conversations through art — by Makayla I. Gathers, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: Momos as a form of resistance — by Sajina Shrestha, AudioFiles, City University of New York
Finalist: Full circle — by Murphy McFarlane, The NewsHouse, Syracuse University

Investigative Reporting
Winner: Dead wrong — by Staff, NYCity News Service, City University of New York
Finalist: ‘Still unresolved’: Harvard student group missing approximately $30,000 after leadership dispute — by J. Sellers Hill, Sage S. Lattman, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: ‘Walking on eggshells’: Inside Public Safety’s leadership crisis — by Zachary Schermele, Columbia Daily Spectator, Columbia University

Regional Political Reporting
Winner: Successful write-in campaign stirs conversation about Ithaca’s political climate — by Lorien Tyne, The Ithacan, Ithaca College

Retail/Small Business Journalism
Winner: South Bronx businesses battle back — by Staff, NYCity News Service, City University of New York

Science/Environment/Climate Reporting
Winner: Assets to Axes: How Harvard’s land investments inspired fear in Brazil’s Cerrado — by Sazi T. Bongwe, Jade Lozada, The Harvard Crimson, Harvard College
Finalist: Why so few get screened for lung cancer, the deadliest cancer in the U.S. — by Simar Bajaj, STAT News, Harvard University

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