Region 12 Mark of Excellence Awards 2023 winners announced

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4/29/2024

CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@spj.org
Nadia Gordon, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ngordon@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 12 with 2023 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 12 comprises Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. 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 12 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: Breaking: Seven dead after Covenant School shooting in Green Hills — by Aaditi Lele, Katherine Oung, Rachael Perrotta, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Pro-Palestine protest met with opposition — by Eloise Pickering, Maria DiFelice, The Maroon Online, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Saturday's McNeese vs. Northwestern State homecoming game canceled — by Kelsea Ernst, The Poke Press, McNeese State University
Finalist: Former governor announces presidential run — by Delaney Reaves, Gillian Bunting, NWACC Eagle View blogsite, Northwest Arkansas Community College

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Voter turnout in Georgia and Louisiana — by Staff, LA Illuminator, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Mississippi State students from Amory reflect on tornado's devastation — by Pam Dankins, Daily Journal, Mississippi State University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Gil named McNeese's first Rhodes Scholar finalist — by Kelsea Ernst, The Poke Press, McNeese State University
Finalist: Loyola’s only Black English professor says his dismissal feels targeted — by Macie Batson, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Loyola program works to overturn wrongful convictions — by Ava Acharya, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Tennessee gun laws: What you need to know — by Katherine Oung, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Community crushed by LGBTQ+ censorship — by Erica Wilson, Hill magazine, University of Arkansas
Finalist: The fatal shooting of Milton X Scott — by Myracle Lewis, Amelia Gabor, Birdie O'Connell, Verite News, Louisiana State University

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: ‘Elevate the people on the ground’: Dining employee reflects on Vanderbilt experience — by Brina Ratangee, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: The making of 'Sister Cindy' — by Cross Harris, Reveille/LSUReveille.com, Louisiana State University
Finalist: No Adderall, no answers — by Katherine Taylor, Hill magazine, University of Arkansas

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: Freshmen professional amputee soccer players kick expectations to the curb — by Reagan Netherland, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Why Mwani Wilkinson stayed the course through program overhaul and injury: 'I'm a winner' — by Peter Rauterkus, Reveille | LSUReveille.com, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Full circle: How perspective and humility helped Ken Seals regain the starting quarterback position — by Andrew Wilf, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Students revive Loyola fútbol club after 10+ years — by Matthew Richards, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Women’s basketball starts season with new faces — by Matthew Richards, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Former Loyola athlete opens up about mental health struggles — by Eve McFarland, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Opinion columns — by Isabella LaRue, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Editorials — by Mark Michel, Patrick Hamilton, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Grappling with school shootings and mental heath — by Noah Weitzel, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

General Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Isabella LaRue, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Commodore Brunch — by Andrew Wilf, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Columns — by Jason Willis, Reveille/ LSUReveille.com, Louisiana State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Reflector — by Staff, The Reflector, Mississippi State University
Finalist: Arkansas Traveler — by Staff, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Maroon — by Staff, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

Best Ongoing Student Magazine
Winner: Hill Magazine — by Staff, Hill magazine, University of Arkansas

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Maroon Online — by Staff, The Maroon Online, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Reflector online — by Staff, The Reflector, Mississippi State University
Finalist: Arkansas Traveler — by Staff, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: The Vanderbilt Hustler — by Staff, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

General News Photography
Winner: Like scenes from a battlefield — by Eli Stokes, Hill magazine, University of Arkansas

Feature Photography
Winner: Community aims to take back the night — by Sophia Renzi, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: Nashville community rallies downtown, at Fisk University after Covenant School shooting — by Barrie Barto, Nikita Rohila, Amelia Simpson, Katherine Oung, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: 10 things Mississippi State students can't live without — by Laura Parsley, Bulldog Online Newsroom, Mississippi State University

Illustration
Winner: Orientation Edition Front Page — by Bryce Yzaguirre, The Reflector, Mississippi State University

Photo Illustration
Winner: No Adderall, no answers — by Erika Fredericks, Hill magazine, University of Arkansas

Sports Photography
Winner: Students revive Loyola fútbol club after 10+ years — by Sophia Renzi, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Vanderbilt narrowly passes by UNC Greensboro 74-70 — by Josh Rehders, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Hogs fall after brutal brawl against BYU — by Alfonso Jaubert, Arkansas Traveler, University of Arkansas

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Class of 2023: The senior survey — by Staff, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: NWACC Eagle View first e-pub — by Samantha McClain, staff, NWACC Eagle View blogsite, Northwest Arkansas Community College
Finalist: Lipscomb kicks off the holiday season with 19th annual Lighting of the Green — by Anastasiia Boldyreva, Brandon Bigsby, Gracey Parnell, Herd Media, Lipscomb University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: AI in education — by Amelia Bridges, KLSU, Louisiana State University

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Lady Tigers superfan Stan Douglas — by Patricia Caputo, KLSU, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Jayden Daniels at Heisman ceremony — by Andre Champagne, KLSU, Louisiana State University
Finalist: LSU Lady Tigers going to the Sweet 16 — by Patricia Caputo, KLSU, Louisiana State University

Podcast (Narrative)
Winner: Hearts and Clubs — by Patrick Kelly, UATV News, University of Arkansas

Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Rolling Fork tornado, Biden visit — by A.C. Barker, NewsWatch Ole Miss, University of Mississippi

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Road safety — by Adam Guttuso, LSU Tiger TV, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Rolling Fork tornado aftermath - Housing crisis — by Celeste Lay, NewsWatch Ole Miss, University of Mississippi
Finalist: Efforts continue to appease doubles-to-dorms — by James Hufnagel, The Maroon Online, Loyola University New Orleans

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Alumni becoming employees — by Brandon Bigsby, Herd Media, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Women's self defense — by Camryn Johnson, UATV News, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Bass fishing — by Kye Kocher, UATV News, University of Arkansas

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Food insecurity — by Metia Carroll, Haylee Kennedy, Erin Rogers, Ella Wales, LSU Tiger TV, Louisiana State University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Love purple, win gold — by Adam Guttuso, LSU Tiger TV, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Cheer World Championship — by Lakyra Banks, UATV News, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Football diversity — by Patrick Hall, UATV News, University of Arkansas

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: UATV — by Staff, UATV News, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Tiger TV Newsbeat — by Staff, LSU Tiger TV, Louisiana State University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Sports Extra — by Staff, Herd Media, Lipscomb University

All Platform

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Behind the curtains: Theatre production sparks outrage and community disapproval — by Kloe Witt, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

Campus Reporting
Winner: Faculty members upset with new IT policies and other stories — by John Buzbee, Reveille | LSUReveille.com, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Students struggle to enroll in core and required classes — by Kloe Witt, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Vanderbilt drops in US News rankings — by Rachael Perrotta, The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Christmas movie reviews — by Morgan Nunley, NWACC Eagle View blogsite, Northwest Arkansas Community College
Finalist: Loyola TAD takes the stage with satirical musical 'Urinetown' — by Mia Oliva, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Film reviews — by Mia Oliva, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: Dearth of breakfast options at LSU — by Staff, Reveille | LSUReveille.com, Louisiana State University

Regional Political Reporting
Winner: Orleans Parish suffers low voter turnout — by Jacob L'Hommedieu, The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans

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