For immediate release

Contact:
Lauren Rochester, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210,
lrochester@spj.org
Andrew M. Scott, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 215,
ascott@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 4 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 4 includes Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 2 during the Region 4 and 5 SPJ Spring Conference held in Erlanger, Ky. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. National winners will be announced in early May.

The winners are listed below. For additional information on the Mark of Excellence awards, please contact Awards Coordinator Lauren Rochester at lrochester@spj.org.

2010 Region 4 Winners

Four Year College/University winners:

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Fire causes approximately 2,100 to lose power early Saturday morning- by Chelsi Baker, West Virginia University.
• Second Place: Gov.-elect John Kasich celebrates with family – by Cody Cousino, Ohio State University.
• Third Place: Bomb Threat a mystery to many– by Austin Owens, Ohio State University.

Feature Photography
• First Place: Helping Haiti – by Libby March, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: Life on Chittock – by Jake May, Central Michigan University.
• Third Place: Obama rally coverage – by Andy Gottesman, Joe Podelco, Lauren Hallow & Cody Cousino, Ohio State University.

General News Photography
• First Place: Election victory – by Jeffrey Smith, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: Solemn Soldier – by Paige Calamari, Central Michigan University.
• Third Place: Tear of Remembrance – by Philip Botta, Kent State University.

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Who is No. 43? – by Jake May, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: Life with the undead – by Sara Winkler, Central Michigan University
• Third Place: Trey Zeigler - by Sara Winkler, Central Michigan University.

Sports Photography
• First Place: Good Sportsmanship – by Sean Proctor, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: Patrick Strang, University of Cincinnati.
• Third Place: Slapshot – by Jeffrey Smith, Central Michigan University.

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: The Burr, Kent State University.
• Second Place: Fusion, Kent State University.
• Third Place: Backdrop, Ohio University.

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Reconstructed – by Dawn Einsel, Kent State University.
• Second Place: Tipping Point – by Will Cooper, Ohio University.
• Third Place: Roots of Rebuilding– by Brian Bienkowski, Michigan State University.

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Michigan Daily, University of Michigan.
• Second Place: The State News, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: The Independent Collegian, University of Toledo.
• Third Place: The News Record, University of Cincinnati.

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Campus shooting- by Collin Binkley, Ohio State University.
• Second Place: Cows loose on campus – by The Lantern staff, Ohio State University.
• Third Place: Duquesne drops four sports teams – by John Bojarski & Steve Orbanek, Duquesne University.

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Ryan Dunn, Ohio University.
• Second Place: Brad Canze, Central Michigan University.
• Third Place: Ethan Keating, University of Toledo.

Feature Writing
• First Place: Honor of a Lifetime – by Brittany Shammas, Michigan State University.
• Second Place: CCM grad rocks hard backstage – by Ariel Cheung, University of Cincinnati.
• Third Place: Farewell to arms: How do young Iraq war vets quell classroom angst? - Robert Guttersohn, Wayne State University.

General Column Writing
• First Place: Sean Webster, John Carroll University.
• Second Place: Kate Noftsinger, Bowling Green State University.
• Third Place: Samuel Kay, Miami University.

General News Reporting
• First Place: Police records at Marshall University – by Sam Turley, Marshall University.
• Second Place: OSU music facilities ‘awful’ – by Ryan Book, Ohio State University.
• Third Place: The day according to students – by Kristine Gill, Kent State University.

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Mohammed and the Major – by Brittany Shammas, Michigan State University.
• Second Place: Search for the Cure: How University scientists are defining the field of stem cell research – by Stephanie Steinberg, University of Michigan.
• Third Place: Concussions – by Grant Freking & Jimmy Oldham, Ohio State University.

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Zack Meisel, Ohio State University.
• Second Place: Tony Dobies, West Virginia University.
• Third Place: Doug Tifft, Xavier University.

Sports Writing
• First Place: They Call Him Shoelace: The story of Denard Robinson – by Ryan Kartje, University of Michigan.
• Second Place: Doug Tifft, Xavier University.
• Third Place: Time for Trey- by Aaron McMann, Central Michigan University.

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: cm-life.com, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: The BG News, Bowling Green State University.
• Third Place: The News Record website, University of Cincinnati.

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: gcmag.org – by Grand Central Magazine staff, Central Michigan University.
• Second Place: Great Lakes Echo website – by Great Lakes Echo staff, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: A life beyond limitations – by Tessa Bargainnier, Kent State University.
• Second Place: Living with Lymphoma – by Jackie McLean, Amanda Hinds & Jackie Valley, Kent State University.
• Third Place: The Final Delivery – by Laura Torchia, Kent State University.

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Coverage of OSU’s “Tatto-gate” football scandal – by Zack Meisel & Jimmy Oldham, Ohio State University.
• Second Place: HPV at Miami – by Chloe Esposito, Miami University.
• Third Place: Recycling Cities – by Great Lakes Echo staff, Michigan State University.

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Who is Terry Norman? – by Taylor Rogers, Emily Inverso & Sierra Guterba, Kent State University.
• Second Place: May 4th, Forty Years Later – by KentWired staff, Kent State University.
• Third Place: Data breach – by Ally Marotti, Ohio State University.

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Great Lakes Smackdown! – by Alice Rossignol & Rachael Gleason, Michigan State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: WVU introduces coach in-waiting Holgorsen – by Brian Gawthrop, West Virginia University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Radio Newscast
• First Place: The Newscenter 88 news team, Marshall University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Radio Feature
• First Place: Model Trains: A Family Affair – by Adam Cavalier, Marshall University.
• Second Place: Jessica Jordan: Helping Students – by Leannda Carey, Marshall University.
• Third Place: The Drumline – by Adam Cavalier, Marshall University.

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Coping with Disaster: Montcoal, WV – by Leannda Carey, Marshall University.
• Second Place: SGA Election Complaints – by Leannda Carey, Marshall University.
• Third Place: Central Michigan University students clean up campus, honor mother Earth – by Alice Rossignol, Michigan State University.

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Tracking Stimulus Dollars in Southwest Ohio – by Emily Atwood, Katie Morgan, Joe Sampson & Josh Messerly, Miami University.
• Second Place: Marshall Football 2009: End of the Line – by Adam Cavalier, Marshall University.
• Third Place: The Marshall Women’s Basketball 2009-2010 Season in Review – by Adam Cavalier, Marshall University.

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: The Mitch Express – by Adam Cavalier, Miami University.
• Second Place: Spring Practice Brings Intensity – by Adam Cavalier, Marshall University.
• Third Place: Jordan v. Whiteside – by Robert Iddings, Marshall University.

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: UT: 10 News– by Ashley Roth & Paul Webb, University of Toledo.
• Second Place: WVU News staff, West Virginia University.
• Third Place: Focal Point staff, Michigan State University.

Television Feature
• First Place: The Price of Education – by Jeannette Reyes, Kent State University.
• Second Place: Ellis Island: A Family Affair – by Patrick Henderson, Ohio University.
• Third Place: Social Media – by Shannon Teets, West Virginia University.

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Le Chat Gourmet – by Marty Berman, Michigan State University.
• Second Place: Jack3d Work Out Supplement– by Marty Berman, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: Band Goes Bowling – by Kelley Tourangeau, Michigan State University.

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Burglary – by Ashton Pellom, West Virginia University.
• Second Place: 2011 Look Ahead - by Marty Berman, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: Jack3d Work Out Supplement – by Marty Berman, Michigan State University.

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Governor Tours Area Hit Hard By Storm - by Evan Millward, William Tapper & Michael Locklear, Ohio University.
• Second Place: Court Street Celebration– by Evan Millward & Gabe Ross, Ohio University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Sunshine Project – by Evan Millward, Patrick Henderson, Taylor Mirfendereski & Kelly May, Ohio University.
• Second Place: Don't Ask Don't Tell and the MSU ROTC – by Kelley Tourangeau, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: Dorm Safety – by Rich Pierce, Kent State University.

Television News Photography
• First Place: School Bus Safety – by Jazmin Bailey, Michigan State University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Julian Bailes– by Andrea Sauer, West Virginia University.
• Second Place: UM-MSU Tailgate– by Jonathan McEmber, Michigan State University.
• Third Place: Roller Derby – by Tamra Johnson, Michigan State University.

Two Year College winners:

Best All-around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Voice, Cuyahoga Community College.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Mold after the Flood – by Lisa Benton, Ohio Center for Broadcasting.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

*Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best in student journalism. Judges are not required to select first, second or third place winners.

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 more information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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