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 6 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2010 calendar year. SPJ Region 6 includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This year, the contest received almost 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April 9 during the Region 6 SPJ Spring Conference held in Bloomington, Minn. 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 6 Winners

Four Year College/University winners:

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: A Dome deflated - by Chris Austin, University of Minnesota.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Downtown, up close and personal: a photographic saga – by Zach Kobrinsky, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Immigration Reform Rally – by Jesse Trelstad, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: One is too many – by Lukas Keapproth, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

General News Photography
• First Place: Alpha Xi Delta – by Ryan Robinson, South Dakota State University.
• Second Place: They go marching on – by Ian Larson, University of Minnesota.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Photo Illustration
• First Place: 200,000,000 – by Caitlin Pisha, South Dakota State University.
• Second Place: Turning Generation Me On – by Crystal Schreiner & Alex Alvarez, Marquette University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Curb, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Queens of Rock – by Nate Gessner, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Second Place: Modern-day storks – by Jesse Koehler, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Third Place: One is too many – by Sammy Ganz, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Minnesota Daily, University of Minnesota.
• Second Place: The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Marquette Tribune, Marquette University.
• Second Place: The Collegian, South Dakota State University.
• Third Place: The Oracle, Hamline University.

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: MU rescinds dean offer to lesbian professor - by William P. O'Brien, Marquette University.
• Second Place: Wild admits mistake with Arts & Sciences dean offer – by Christopher Placek & William P. O'Brien, Marquette University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Minnesota Daily Editorial Board, University of Minnesota.
• Second Place: Erik Burgess, Anne Kuenzie & Joe Vaccaro, Hamline University.
• Third Place: The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Feature Writing
• First Place: Portrait of an Artist – by Lauren Thron, Hamline University.
• Second Place: The Daily Cardinal Features Entry – by Allison Dirr, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Third Place: Serving up a story, one slice at a time – by Dominic Tortorice, Marquette University.

General News Reporting
• First Place: Business prof under investigation – by Erik Burgess, Hamline University.
• Second Place: Access to crime logs denied – by Ruth Brown, South Dakota State University.
• Third Place: No Award.*

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: School House Shock – by Jeff Engel & Kaellen Hessel, Marquette University.
• Second Place: University Center financing and planning – by Max Nesterak, Anne Kuenzie & Erik Burgess, Hamline University.
• Third Place: Sources: Golf coach didn’t get a shot – by Trevor Born & Nate Gotlieb, University of Minnesota.

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Nico Savidge, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Second Place: Ben Breiner, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Third Place: Erik Schmidt, Marquette University.

Sports Writing
• First Place: Athletics finances: a balancing act – by Mike Mullen, University of Minnesota.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: Curb Online – by Leia Ferrari, Jesse Koehler, Nate Gessner & Josh Hilgendorf, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Second Place: Mndaily.com – by Minnesota Daily staff, University of Minnesota.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: TommieMedia.com – by Shane Kitzman, Katie Broadwell, Theresa Malloy & Mary Kenkel, University of St. Thomas.
• Second Place: Media Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Taaren Haak, Alex Norberg, Ben Sailer & Misty Irving, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Trash that dress – by Katie Hamness, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: Extreme Hipster Makeover – by Zach Kobrinsky, Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Kristine Kostuck, Ben Sailer & Andrew Gottenborg, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Coping with concussions at St. Thomas – by Miles Trump, University of St. Thomas.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online News Reporting
• First Place: After St. Thomas sophomore killed in house fire Saturday morning – by Theresa Malloy, John Kruger & TommieMedia.com Staff, University of St. Thomas.
• Second Place: Allies’ supporters reveal their true colors at National Coming Out Day event – by Colleen Schreier, University of St. Thomas.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Wartman leads Tommies to big win in Collegeville – by Miles Trump, Michael Ewen & John Kruger, University of St. Thomas.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Seniors Seeking Jobs – by Justine Shorter, Marquette University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Bond Shymansky Podcast – by Michael Wottreng, Marquette University.
• Second Place: No Award.*
• Third Place: No Award.*

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: Campus News, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Studio One, University of North Dakota.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Feature
• First Place: Good Food – by Studio One staff, University of North Dakota.
• Second Place: The Nester – by Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: Junk – by Jason Kayati, University of North Dakota.

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Be Square – by Dylan Jacobson, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: The Nester – by Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Weather Woes – by Daniel Bartholomay, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Sorority Sandbaggers – by Kit Cross, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Tornado Aftermath - by Kelsey Roseth, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Athletic Budget Passes – by Jordan Weinand, Saint Cloud State University.
• Third Place: Traffic Lights – by Peter Bruce, University of North Dakota.

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Tuition Protest – by UWM PantherVision News Team, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• Second Place: Inspired by Nature – by Nathan Matson, Kathryn Anderson, Cole Ryg & John Rian, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: The Remedy– by Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Television News Photography
• First Place: The Remedy – by Nathan Matson & Dylan Jacobson, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Campus Chaos – by Ryan Murray & Ryan Schoonover, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
• Third Place: Sorority Sandbaggers – by Kit Cross, Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: Go Pink With Dragons – by Cole Ryg, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Second Place: Derby Girl – by Kit Cross, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: No Award.*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Marquette Basketball Weekly – by Brad Galli, Marquette University.
• Second Place: Derby Girl – by Kit Cross, Minnesota State University Moorhead.
• Third Place: Inside Scoop - 2010 SCSU Mens Basketball – by Nicholas Lenz & Joel Larsen, Saint Cloud State University.

*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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