For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Lauren Rochester, SPJ Awards Coordinator, (317) 927-8000 ext. 210, lrochester@spj.org
Abby Henkel, SPJ Communications Coordinator, (317) 927-8000, ext. 215, ahenkel@spj.org


INDIANAPOLIS—The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to honor a select group of campus chapters for their outstanding work. Among 10 chapters being recognized, DePaul University was named the national Outstanding Campus Chapter of the Year.

Annually, each of SPJ’s 12 Regional Directors selects one chapter in his or her region that has performed outstanding service to the Society, their campus and the journalism profession. From these 12 chapters, one chapter is selected by SPJ’s Vice President for Campus Chapter Affairs as the Outstanding Campus Chapter of the Year.

Click here for a map of SPJ regions and chapters.

The regional honorees are:

Region 1: Ithaca College
Region 2: Elon University
Region 3: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
Region 4: Ohio University
Region 5: DePaul University
Region 6: University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Region7: University of Iowa
Region 8: no award
Region 9: Colorado State University
Region 10: no award
Region 11: University of Arizona
Region 12: University of Louisiana at Lafayette

From this group, the campus chapter at DePaul University was selected as the Outstanding Campus Chapter of the Year. The chapter was also named the most outstanding student organization at DePaul for 2010-11.

In its first year, the DePaul chapter presented cutting-edge programming, a successful membership recruiting campaign and strong communications within the chapter and beyond. Programming included the creation and monitoring of the Twitter hashtag #SPJchat, used by students to discuss issues in journalism, filming a Project Watchdog video, offering social media training for high school students, and coordinating speakers and panels for SPJ DePaul members. The chapter also recruited over 50 members in its first year.

The DePaul University chapter will receive its national award during the Student Union event on Sept. 26 at the Excellence in Journalism 2011 conference in New Orleans, co-hosted by SPJ and the Radio Television Digital News Association. The regional awards will be presented during regional meetings on Sept. 25.

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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