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SPJ announces 2022 Mark of Excellence National Winners
These awards recognize the best collegiate work published or broadcast during 2022
CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the national winners of the 2022 Mark of Excellence Awards, recognizing collegiate work published or broadcast during 2022. This year, 61 students and staff from 37 universities across the United States and Canada are being recognized as national winners.
Winners were previously recognized by receiving first-place in one of SPJ’s 12 regional competitions. The results of those competitions can be found in the April-Mary 2023 SPJ News archive. Each first-place regional winner advanced to the national competition.
For the first time, this year, national only categories were introduced, with all entries immediately going to national judging. The national only categories are Collaborative Journalism, Immersion Journalism, Investigative Reporting, Retail/Small Business Journalism and Science/Environment Reporting.
These awards honor the best in student journalism. As such, judges were directed to choose only those entries which they felt were outstanding work worthy of a national honor. If the judges determined that none of the entries rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.
School divisions are based on student enrollment, which includes both graduate and undergraduate enrollment. Schools with more than 10,000 students are designated as large schools.
National winners will advance to the contest for the MOEy Best in Show, SPJ’s top prize given to students who entered the 2022 MOE awards competition. They will also receive a plaque to recognize their win.
The MOEy and two Corbin Gwaltney Awards for Best All-Around Student Newspaper, will be presented during the Sigma Delta Chi awards ceremony at 7 p.m. EDT June 17. This virtual event can be viewed here.
Print/Online
Breaking News Reporting (Large)
Neetish Basnet for “Arizona officials decry, delight in Supreme Court ending abortion rights” — Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Taylor Wooten for “Transgender sports bill receives further testimony at Senate Education Committee” — TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College
General News Reporting (Large)
Staff of The Vanderbilt Hustler for “Transgender health care investigation, reaction” —Vanderbilt University
General News Reporting (Small)
Alexa Shrake, Isaac Gleitz and Sydney Byerly for “Thomas Minar series” — TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College
In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Cami Parrish for “'I'm tired’: Teachers face mental health crisis due to low pay, pandemic stress, scant support” — Cronkite News, Arizona State University
In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Brenna Brown for “PBC small businesses: Post-COVID-19 era” — The Beacon Today, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Feature Writing (Large)
Josh Archote for “A Klansman's sons seek to understand and redress his wrongs” — Multiple via the LSU Manship News Service, Louisiana State University
Feature Writing (Small)
Brandon Hill for “Boston buries its Black music” — The Hoopla, Emerson College
Sports Writing (Large)
Lindsay Wyson for “Name, image, likeness: Leveling the playing field for female athletes” — Universe Live Sports, Brigham Young University
Sports Writing (Small)
Catherine Galanti for “For minor leaguers, playing professional baseball is not living the dream” — The Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University
Editorial/Opinion Writing
Editorial board of The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
General Column Writing
Renee Walker for “Mental health columns” — The Poly Post, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Sports Column Writing
Caleb Nguyen for “Caleb's columns from the sports desk” — The Poly Post, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Staff of The Independent Florida Alligator, University of Florida
Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Staff of The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
Best Student Magazine
Staff of Talon Magazine for “Bread and circus” — Community College of Denver
Best Affiliated Web Site
Staff of The Maroon Online, Loyola University New Orleans
Best Independent Online Student Publication
Staff of The 5 O'Clock Project, Syracuse University
Art/Graphics/Multimedia
Breaking News Photography
Anthony Scilla for “Mill fire” — The Kent Stater/KentWired, Kent State University
General News Photography
Grace Smith for “Roe v Wade Protest” — The Daily Iowan, University of Iowa
Feature Photography
Chiana McInelly for “GU student doubles as route-setter at Wild Walls Rock Climbing” — The Gonzaga Bulletin, Gonzaga University
Photo Essay/Slideshow
Taylor Bayly for “In focus: Migrants languish in Mexico's chaotic immigration system” — Cronkite Borderlands Project, Arizona State University
Illustration
Trevor Brighton for “Erasing Russia” — The Post, Ohio University
Photo Illustration
Maggie Getzin for “Brain drain” — The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Sports Photography
Jason White for “ASU gymnastics home win” — The State Press, Arizona State University
Editorial Cartooning
Liam Simonelli for “Giving students a voice” — The College VOICE, Mercer County Community College
Best Use of Multimedia
Staff of USC JOVRNALISM for “Reflections of the L.A. uprising” — University of Southern California
News Videography
Chris Will for “Operation Island Rescue” — WUFT News, University of Florida
Feature Videography
Olivia Yarvis for “One family flees Texas in search of safer climate for their transgender daughter” — Texas Tribune, Northwestern University
Sports Videography
Manuel Serrano and Averi Coppa for “Never stand still” — The NewsHouse, Syracuse University
Data Visualization
Angeli Mittal and Zoey Soh for “The Daily Northwestern’s live midterm coverage” — The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Audio
Radio News Reporting
Hallie Gutzwiller for “Wildfires burn across Nebraska” — 90.3 KRNU, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Radio Feature
Autriya Maneshni for “Election translation” — Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Radio In-Depth Reporting
Jared McBride for “Mobile residents learn the history of the last known slave ship in Alabama” — TROY Public Radio, Troy University
Radio Sports Reporting
Daniel Myrick for “’B Daht,’ the Dean Dome’s new arena host, hopes to fire up the fans – and spread a positive message” — Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Staff of Carolina Connection, North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Podcast (Narrative)
Mary Steffenhagen for “Home ed” — NYCity News Service, City University of New York
Podcast (Conversational)
Simone Melvin for “Pony out: An SMU transfer story” — The Daily Campus, Southern Methodist University
Broadcast
Television Breaking News Reporting
Isabella Leahy and Matthew Noah for “Penn State cancels controversial event over security concerns” — WPSU, The Pennsylvania State University
Television General News Reporting
Albert James for “Three years on: What has changed with hazing culture at WSU?” — Murrow News 8, Washington State University
Television Feature Reporting
Henry Pree for “Native fish keepers” — Montana PBS, University of Montana
Television In-Depth Reporting
Austin Hedgecoth for “Crypto's final frontier” — DCTV, University of North Texas
Television Sports Reporting
Nyah Adams and Aiden Farrell for “Jeremiah Minkel” — UTVS Television, St. Cloud State University
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Tyler Walsh, Spencer Askinazy, Ben Ezzy and Katelyn Kucharski for “NewsVision” — UMTV, University of Miami
Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Staff of UMTV for “PrimeTime” — University of Miami
All Platforms
Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Alicia Chiang for “It may look like Fallingwater, but Lynn Hall has its own story to tell” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Pennsylvania State University
Collaborative Journalism
Fellows and faculty of Global Reporting Program/The Globe and Mail for “Growing older” — University of British Columbia
Cultural Criticism
Vivienne N. Germain for “Theater commentary” — The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Food/Restaurant Journalism
Athena Cheris for “Meals under $10 for the hungry college student series” — The Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University
Investigative Reporting
Simon J. Levien for “A secret at the hearth of Adams House” — The Harvard Crimson, Harvard University
Retail/Small Business Reporting
Josephine Walker for “Small cannabis entrepreneurs say they can’t compete against ‘Walmart of weed’” — VCU Capital News Service, Virginia Commonwealth University
Science/Environmental/Climate Reporting
Stephen Pastis for “The business of recycling: How SC recycles and why it can be so complicated” — The Carolina News & Reporter, University of South Carolina College of Journalism
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.
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