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 10 with 2021 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 10 comprises Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. 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 10 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: Anti-abortion demonstration faces pro-choice opposition on OSU campus — by Sukhjot Sal, Oregon State University
Finalist: Firefighters fight for pay & benefits — by Mak Sisson, University of Montana
Finalist: CPD investigating violent incident, OSU seeking to confirm student involvement — by Sukhjot Sal, Oregon State University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Massive power outage forces cancellation of classes and operations for second day — by William Seekamp, Havi Stewart, Andrew Gotshall and Molly Lowney, University of Portland
Finalist: Racist phone call made to student at GU welcome desk — by Mila Yoch, Gonzaga University
Finalist: GU administration removes inappropriate photos from College Hall — by Devan Iyomasa, Gonzaga University

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: College Hill shooting suspect claims self-defense — by Nick Gibson, Washington State University
Finalist: Local first responders and police work to combat fentanyl overdoses — by Omar Benitez, Sean Bessette, Meghan Salsbury and Star Diavolikis, Central Washington University
Finalist: Local business leaders react to students' return to Pullman — by Nick Gibson, Washington State University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Who trusts the trustees? — by Dana Parsons, Aislin Tweedy and Kaylee Brown, North Idaho College
Finalist: Nursing students and faculty see aftermath of Lents Park police shooting — by Austin De Dios, University of Portland
Finalist: 'I'm actually going to get home' — by Carlos Fuentes, University of Portland

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Insecure: The rise and fall of the Crow Nation police department — by Nikki Zambon, University of Montana School of Journalism
Finalist: Welcome to gun country — by Clarise Larson, University of Montana School of Journalism
Finalist: Essential but unprotected — by Daisy Zavala, Washington State University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: GU commission releases report on Catholic sexual abuse crisis — by Asher Ali and Devan Iyomasa, Gonzaga University
Finalist: New COVID dashboard may not give full picture — by Kate Cuadrado, University of Portland
Finalist: University of Portland faces staffing issues beyond labor shortages — by Austin De Dios, University of Portland

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Detached — by Garrett Rahn, Western Washington University
Finalist: Welcome to the jungle: A look at Greenhouse Coffee & Plants — by Colin Rickman, Oregon State University
Finalist: Dam it — by Janie Egan, Western Washington University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Yuri Hernandez Osorio: Past and present — by Will Mulligan, University of Portland
Finalist: Memories to last a lifetime — by Vincent Saglimbeni, Gonzaga University

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: How Bjorn Bergvall sailed to Olympic gold before coming to the University of Idaho — by Cody Roberts, University of Idaho
Finalist: A tale of three Freddys: A generational basketball name pays off — by Jack Marshall, University of Montana School of Journalism

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Freshman makes big impact for Linfield softball — by Madeline Loverich, Linfield University

Editorial Writing
Winner: Columns — by Anteia McCollum and The Argonaut Editorial Board, University of Idaho
Finalist: Columns — by Tatum Lindquist, Mary Murphy and Deborah Kwon, University of Washington
Finalist: Columns — by Jennifer Ng and Mia Werner, University of Portland

General Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Sadie Wuertz and Carlos Fuentes, University of Portland
Finalist: Columns — by Austin De Dios, University of Portland

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Zags sports columns — by Vincent Saglimbeni, Gonzaga University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Argonaut —by staff, University of Idaho
Finalist: Montana Kaimin — by staff, University of Montana School of Journalism
Finalist: The Daily Barometer — by staff, Oregon State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Gonzaga Bulletin — by staff, Gonzaga University

Best Student Magazine
Winner: BYLINE Magazine — by staff, University of Montana
Finalist: PULSE magazine — by staff, Central Washington University
Finalist: The Planet magazine — by staff, Western Washington University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: Klipsun Magazine — by staff, Western Washington University
Finalist: The Observer — by staff, Central Washington University
Finalist: PULSE magazine — by staff, Central Washington University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Vital Relief — by Native News Honors Project/Missoulian staff, University of Montana

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Drive-by shooting near campus — by Lily Kaneshige, Gonzaga University

General News Photography
Winner: Galbreath protest — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana
Finalist: Sexual abuse trial — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana
Finalist: Black-footed ferret — by Sarah Mosquera, University of Montana

Feature Photography
Winner: Outdoor outreach: Vamos connecting community and culture — by Cierra Coppock, Western Washington University
Finalist: Broken Bones bassist — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana
Finalist: Flag & fair — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana

Photo Illustration
Winner: Cover Image - The Sentinel, fall 2021 — by Dana Parsons, North Idaho College

Sports Photography (Large)
Winner: Bareback riding — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana
Finalist: Cross country celebration — by Antonio Ibarra, University of Montana

Sports Photography (Small)
Winner: Men's team celebrates with fans — by Ryan Reynolds, University of Portland

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: More to love: Diving deeper into fatphobia — by Kyra Planetz, Western Washington University

Broadcast/Online Feature Videography
Winner: Uncertain waters — by Hazel Cramer, University of Montana
Finalist: Making Lakewood accessible — by Troy Schulz and Hugh Fogarty, Western Washington University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: Law school dean ousted — by Elle Wilgus, University of Montana

Radio Feature
Winner: Dinosaurs of Montana — by Peyton Butler, University of Montana
Finalist: Child care in COVID — by Madison Morgan, University of Montana

Podcast
Winner: Drilling into history — by Olivia Hicks, Western Washington University
Finalist: KBVR busts COVID vaccine myths — by Andrew Foran, Oregon State University
Finalist: Inspiration Dissemination: The promise and peril of new plants on Oregon's sand dunes — by Lisa Hildebrand and Adrian Gallo, Oregon State University

Broadcast

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Yellowstone County switching strategies in COVID vaccine rollout — by Austin Amestoy, University of Montana
Finalist: MindGaps — by Jackson Groff, University of Montana
Finalist: Use it or lose it: Students working to get early vaccinations — by Andrew Baertlein, Washington State University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Student becomes the teacher — by Austin Amestoy, University of Montana
Finalist: Dance on location — by Jourden Redmond, University of Montana
Finalist: Your other mother — by Henry Lenhardt, Washington State University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Weathering the storm — by Weathering the Storm staff, University of Montana

All Platforms

Arts/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Beyond skin deep — by Spencer Clifton, Katie Jo Stewart, Kassandra Eller and Lexi Wicks, Central Washington University

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: In my Abuela's kitchen — by Bella Coronado, Western Washington University
Finalist: Coffee corner: Brothers brew up success — by Nick Gibson, Washington State University

Video Game/Tabletop Game Reporting
Winner: Keep chasing bonfires — by Austin De Dios, University of Portland

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