CONTACT:
Heather Porter, Programs Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 204
Beth King, Communications Manager, 317-927-8000 ext. 211

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the national winners of the 2006 Mark of Excellence Awards. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,300 entries in 39 categories.

“These students are telling important stories with the same style and sophistication as professional journalists,” said Mead Loop, SPJ’s Vice President for Campus Chapter Affairs.

National winners were previously recognized by receiving first place in one of the Society’s 12 regional competitions. A complete list of winners and finalists can be found below.

National winners and finalists will be recognized Friday, Oct. 5, 2007 at the Mark of Excellence Luncheon, which occurs during the 2007 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference. This year’s conference will take place at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill.

For additional information on the Mark of Excellence Awards or the Society, please contact Heather Porter at 317-927-8000 ext. 204.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For further information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

The 2006 Mark of Excellence National Winners/Finalists Are:

Breaking News Reporting
• National Winner: Sean Rose, University of Kentucky, “Crash kills 49”
• National Finalist: Chris Coletta and Joseph R. Schwartz, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “1 dies in fall from dorm”
• National Finalist: Nicole Kelley, University of Kansas, “March’s Madness”

General News Reporting
• National Winner: Viridiana Pacheco-Isaac, Phil Jones and Robert Moreno, Southwestern College, “A Line in the Sand”
• National Finalist: Brandon Butler and Ryan Holeywell, The George Washington University, “Locked Out: Lawsuit Sheds Light”
• National Finalist: Michele Brown, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, “Living with HIV”

In-Depth Reporting
• National Winner: Manuel Valdes, University of Washington, “A Journey of Survival: The Oaxaca Connection”
• National Finalist: Vladimir Kogan, University of California, San Diego, “Violation Exceptions Routine in Campus Food Politics”
• National Finalist: Pueblo Today Staff, Colorado State University-Pueblo, “Methademic: Is Methamphetamine Destroying America?”

Feature Writing
• National Winner: Isabelle Roughol, University of Missouri-Columbia, “Acceptance or Exclusion?”
• National Finalist: Whitney Coleman, University of Oklahoma, “Bald Brothers”
• National Finalist: Melissa Domsic, Michigan State University, “Portraits of Perseverance”

Sports Writing
• National Winner: Jenifer Langosch, University of Missouri-Columbia, “Playing On”
• National Finalist: Amy Brittain, Louisiana State University, “Her Toughest Match”
• National Finalist: Heather Mangan, South Dakota State University, “Meet the Berrys”

Editorial Writing
• National Winner: Thomas Keating, Northern Arizona University, “Political Commentary”
• National Finalist: The Daily Cardinal Editorial Board, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “Cardinal View Editorials”
• National Finalist: Marc Dotson, Southern Utah University, “Commentary on Campus-Related Events”

Editorial Cartooning
• National Winner: Terrence L. Nowicki, Jr., Western Washington University, “Editorial Cartoons”
• National Finalist: William Chester Warren, Wake Forest University, “Political Cartoons”
• National Finalist: Eric J. Garcia, University of News Mexico, “Daily Lobo Cartoons”

General Column Writing
• National Winner: Caitlin Cieslik-Miskemen, University of Wisconsin-Madison, “A Trio of Columns”
• National Finalist: Audra Taylor, Duquesne University
• National Finalist: Sean Wardwell, Texas State University , San Marcos

Sports Column Writing
• National Winner: Leo Rommel, Rider University
• National Finalist: Michael Phillips, University of Kansas
• National Finalist: Chris Delotell, University of Kentucky, “UK Football”

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
(published at least 4 times per week)
• National Winner: Staff, University of California, Los Angeles, “The Daily Bruin”
• National Finalist: Staff, Indiana University at Bloomington, “Indiana Daily Student”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Oregon, “Oregon Daily Emerald”

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
(published less than 4 times per week)
• National Winner: Staff, North Idaho College, “The Sentinel”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Nevada, Reno, “The Nevada Sagebrush”
• National Finalist: Staff, Auburn University, “The Auburn Plainsman”

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• National Winner: Meghan Piercy, University of Montana, “Manhunt for a Terrorist”
• National Finalist: Nicole Knight, University of La Verne, ‘Making a Contest a Career”
• National Finalist: Christina Ruffini, Texas Christian University, “Evolution or Revolution”

Best Student Magazine
• National Winner: Staff, Texas Christian University, “Image Magazine”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Montana, “The Unabomber in Montana: Ten Years After”
• National Finalist: Staff, Indiana University at Bloomington, “INside Magazine”

Breaking News Photography
• National Winner: Luanne Dietz, Tim Hussin, Jeremiah Wilson and Celia Tobin, University of Florida, “A Killer’s End: Danny Rolling’s Execution in Pictures”
• National Finalist: Stephen Spillman, Texas Christian University, “Up in Smoke”
• National Finalist: Joseph Hollak and Andre Riggs, California State University, Fresno, “Shots fired near campus”

General News Photography
• National Winner: Mark Malijan, Western Washington University, “Die-In”
• National Finalist: Amy Martin, Northern Arizona University, “Proposed immigration laws ignite fiery protests and student walkouts”
• National Finalist: Mall Pollitt, University of Central Florida, “Violence Hits”

Feature Photography
• National Winner: Tyler McKean, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, “Girl looking at baby lamb”
• National Finalist: Brandon Quester, Arizona State University, “Two sisters, two lives”
• National Finalist: Carl Kosola, The Pennsylvania State University, “Heat of a Lion”

Photo Illustration
• National Winner: K.A. Macdonald and Nina Mehta, Indiana University, “Internet Junkies”
• National Finalist: Alexander Koyler, University of Florida, “Competitive Eating”
• National Finalist: Ali Haupt, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, “Eye”

Sports Photography
• National Winner: Peter Strong, Oregon State University, “Beavers bring home national title from Omaha”
• National Finalist: Megan McHattie, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, “Swimmer Breathing”
• National Finalist: Russell Scoffin, Southwestern College, “Goooooal!”

Radio News Reporting
• National Winner: Adam Rhew, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Apex Chemical Fire”
• National Finalist: Christopher Eckert, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, “Hunger Cleanup”
• National Finalist: Melanie Chapman, Marshall University, “We Are Marshall Movie Premiere”

Radio Feature
• National Winner: Eric Schaffer, University of Maryland, “Shakespeare”
• National Finalist: August Skamenca, University of Missouri-Columbia, “Tornado’s Emotional Burden”
• National Finalist: Kiera Feldman, Brown University, “Reading the Romance”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• National Winner: Scott Detrow, Fordham University, “Treating the Rainbow Nation: AIDS in South Africa”
• National Finalist: Sean Powers, University of Missouri-Columbia, “The Stem Cell Amendment”
• National Finalist: Katey Welhouse, University of Maryland, “Cocaine: The forgotten drug?”

Radio Sports Reporting
• National Winner: Kenny Pordon, Fordham University, “Breaking Down Barriers: The Jackie and Pee Wee Story”
• National Finalist: Justin Karp, Arizona State University, “DBacks Organist”
• National Finalist: Josh Rosenthal, University of Maryland, “Pumped Up”

Radio Newscast
• National Winner: Staff, Brigham Young University, “Live Morning & Afternoon News on Classical 89”
• National Finalist: KBIA Staff, University of Missouri, Columbia, “Newscasts: Mornings”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Illinois-Urbana, “Daily Illini Newscasts”

Television Breaking News Reporting
• National Winner: Candace Thornberg, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Fatal Plane Crash”
• National Finalist: Bonny Ghosh, University of Maryland, “Beltway Accident”
• National Finalist: August Skamenca and Victoria Van Vliet, University of Missouri-Columbia, “Clinton Building Collapse”

Television General News Reporting
• National Winner: Jackie Congedo, University of Maryland, “Seasonal Workers”
• National Finalist: Joy Howe, University of South Carolina, “Missing Sex Offenders”
• National Finalist: Alexander Doletschek, Ohio University, “Halloween Safety”

Television Feature
• National Winner: James Connolly, California State University, North Ridge, “San Fernando Sidewalks”
• National Finalist: John Romero and Geoff Sawtell, Metropolitan State College of Denver, “Brandon Wise”
• National Finalist: Ted Land, University of Illinois at Urbana, “Couch Surfing”

Television In-Depth Reporting
• National Winner: Julie Bercik and Justin Kier, Kent State University, “The $87,000 Hire”
• National Finalist: Gabe Ferguson, University of Montana, “Butte Reborn”
• National Finalist: Natalie Caula and Megan Albright, University of Florida, “Danny Rolling Execution”

Television Sports Reporting
• National Winner: Lynn Olszowy, Northwestern University, “Fairness in Football”
• National Finalist: Ben Brune, Colorado State University, “Colorado Ice Tryouts”
• National Finalist: Nicholas Johnson, University of North Dakota, “Slacker Yoga”

Television News Photography
• National Winner: Enrico Meyer, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Student Sandbaggers”
• National Finalist: Ian Schwartz, Arizona State University, “Papago Park Development”
• National Finalist: Amber Bushnell, University of Montana, “Wilderness and Civilization Program”

Television Feature Photography
• National Winner: Sam Salzwedel, Arizona State University, “Donut Peddler”
• National Finalist: Enrico Meyer, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Energy Drinks”
• National Finalist: Matthew Sampson, University of Montana, “Omelette Guy”

Television Sports Photography
• National Winner: Jordan Wall, University of Florida, “Gators Make BCS Championship Game”
• National Finalist: Brian Allen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Late Night Recap”
• National Finalist: Elias Johnson, Arizona State University, “Special Wrestler”

Television Newscast
• National Winner: Carolina Week News Crew, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Carolina Week”
• National Finalist: UTVS News Crew, St. Cloud State University, “UTVS News”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Florida, “WUFT News”

Online News Reporting
• National Winner: Indiana Daily Student Staff, Indiana University at Bloomington, “IU Mourns”
• National Finalist: Matthew Byrnes, University of Miami, “Florida Global Warming”
• National Finalist: Jennifer Fu, Nick Sekkas and Damon Curry, University of Maryland, “Final Auction? Tobacco Industry Wanes in Maryland”

Online Feature Reporting
• National Winner: Carrie Snyder, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Something Fierce”
• National Finalist: Ljiljana Ciric and Michael Lisi, Arizona State University, “Children of the Borderlands”
• National Finalist: School of Journalism, University of Montana, “The Unabomber in Montana: Ten Years After”

Online In-Depth Reporting
• National Winner: JMC 425 Online Media, Arizona State University, “Autism Arizona”
• National Finalist: Medill News Service, Northwestern University, “Power Trips: Congress Hits the Road”
• National Finalist: Matthew Goble and Patrick Shehan, University of Kansas, “Drought Affects Kansans”

Online Sports Reporting
• National Winner: James Schmehl, Arizona State University, “NFL pros return to class”
• National Finalist: James Pinick and Andrew Baker, University of Kansas, “Evolution of KU Cheerleading”
• National Finalist: Travis Stewart and Stephen Spillman, Texas Christian University, “Houston History: Kicker finds redemption”

Online Opinion and Commentary
• National Winner: Jason Plautz, Northwestern University, “Why you should care”
• National Finalist: Isabelle Roughol, University of Missouri-Columbia, “New Orleans’ Recovery”
• National Finalist: Chris Sheppard, Arizona State University, “Coming Home from Iraq”

Best Affiliated Web site
• National Winner: Staff, Arizona State University, “ASU Web Devil”
• National Finalist: Staff, The Pennsylvania State University, “The Daily Collegian Online”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Texas at Arlington, “The Shorthorn.com”

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
• National Winner: Staff, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Horizonlines.org (Vol. 5)”
• National Finalist: Staff, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, “Extreme Alaska: Surviving the Cold Rush”
• National Finalist: Provoke Staff, Ithaca College, “Provoke: Our Medicated Society”

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