For immediate release
3/26/2012

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


INDIANAPOLIS – The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 3 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2011 calendar year. The Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best collegiate journalism in the U.S.

SPJ Region 3 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. This year, the contest received more than 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on March 24 during the Region 3 SPJ Spring Conference held at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla. First-place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. National winners will be announced in late April.

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

REGION 3 WINNERS

Four-year colleges

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Funeral procession for fallen officer – by Sara Caldwell, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Students, residents feel tornado’s effects – by Drew Hoover, University of Alabama
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Fenced in: Superfund refugees – by Henry Taksier, University of Florida
• Second Place: In remembrance of April 27, 2011 – by Caitlin Trotter, University of Alabama
• Third Place: Multi-faceted – by Sarah Hopkins and Olamma Oparah, Savanna College of Art and Design Atlanta

General News Photography
• First Place: Gas mask – by Britney Buchanan, Florida A&M University
• Second Place: Graffiti artist – by Michael Barone, University of Georgia
• Third Place: College students help Habitat for Humanity on spring break – by Dana Edwards, University of Florida

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Mending soles – Paul Bowers, University of South Carolina
• Second Place: In living color – by Marlena Skrobe, University of Miami
• Third Place: Polishing up for spring – by Emily Hoefer, University of South Carolina

Sports Photography
• First Place: Victory slips through Alabama’s fingers – by John Michael Simpson, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Knights sweep Siena in opening series of season – by Katie Dees, University of Central Florida
• Third Place: Shooting stars – by Zach Beeker, University of Miami

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Journey Magazine, Florida A&M University
• Second Place: District Quarterly, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Third Place: No award*

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Bioluminescence – by Daniel F. Alvarez, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Second Place: His greatest catch – by Lisa Glaser, University of Georgia
• Third Place: Saltwater taffy baby rock candy blues – by Christen Gresham, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Crimson White, University of Alabama
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Central Florida Future, University of Central Florida
• Second Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
• Third Place: The Red & Black, University of Georgia

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Students, residents feel tornado’s effects – by Taylor Holland, Jonathan Reed, Kelsey Stein and Hannah Mask, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Candidate arrested – by Laura Edwins and Alexandra Leon, University of Miami
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Tray Smith, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Central Florida Future staff, University of Central Florida
• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane staff, University of Miami

Feature Writing
• First Place: Tuscaloosa looks to rebuild – by Jonathan Reed, Kelsey Stein, Hannah Mask and William Evans, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Despite war, young couple perseveres – by Alex Bonus, Flagler College
• Third Place: Osceola in the making – by Turner Cowles, Florida State University

General Column Writing
• First Place: Caitlin Wilson, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Erich Hilkert, University of Alabama
• Third Place: Anna Eskamani, University of Central Florida

General News Reporting
• First Place: Of football and fees – by Ryan Cortes and Christopher Persaud, Florida Atlantic University
• Second Place: Beneath it all – by the University Press staff, Florida Atlantic University
• Third Place: Alcohol in Athens – by Jacob Demmitt, Kathryn Ingall, Polina Marinova and Tiffany Stevens, University of Georgia

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: ‘Nobody listened’: Former student built history of abuse – by Jacob Demmitt, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Are kids at risk near sex offenders? – by Rachel Kaylor, University of South Florida
• Third Place: UA’s segregated Greek system – by Will Tucker, Stephen Natanial Dethrage, Jonathan Reed and Amanda Sams, University of Alabama

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Zach Dillard, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Matt Weaver, University of South Alabama
• Third Place: Ryan Cortes, Florida Atlantic University

Sports Writing
• First Place: Former walk-on waits for chance – by Zach Dillard, University of Georgia
• Second Place: ‘LIVING IT’: Religion now a part of tradition for Georgia football team – by Jacob Demmitt, University of Georgia
• Third Place: Walking the walk: Brad Schneider overcomes obstacles – by Jessica Gillespie, University of Central Florida

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: Red & Black Online (redandblack.com), University of Georgia
• Second Place: The Crimson White Online (cw.ua.edu) – by The Crimson White staff, University of Alabama
• Third Place: The Current Online (TheOnlineCurrent.com), Eckerd College

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Flagler College Gargoyle Online (gargoyle.flagler.edu), Flagler College
• Second Place: The Connector Online (SCADConnector.com), Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta
• Third Place: No award*

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Running through life – by Jared Misner, University of Florida
• Second Place: ‘A Clerical Error’: Homeless health care difficult for patients, caregivers – by Alex Bonus, Flagler College
• Third Place: Zunzi’s: How a tiny startup became a local favorite – by Susan Kemp, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Unredacted harassment: Where everyone knows your name – by The Red & Black staff, University of Georgia
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Sexual harassment by UGA professor – by Julia Carpenter, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Wordsmith Pamela Poetter remembered for perennial compassion – by Kenneth Rosen, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Third Place: Operation Giveback raises more than $50k – by Katie Dees and Katie Kustura, University of Central Florida

Online Opinion and Commentary
• First Place: Michael Newberger, Flagler College
• Second Place: Eliza Jordan, Flagler College
• Third Place: District staff, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Coach Meyer works to find balance between daughter’s illness and job – by Mari Pothier, Flagler College
• Second Place: UCF to Big East: Big East presidents reportedly vote to invite Knights for all sports – by Allen Levin and Nick Wilke, University of Central Florida
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Colin Tom, University of Georgia
• Second Place: Tom Rogers, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Third Place: Barry Lee, Savannah College of Art and Design Atlanta

Radio Feature Reporting
• First Place: Animation students work through the night for peace, piece and…peas? – by Joe Molinelli and Jessi Gilbert, Savannah College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Second Place: Without a roof but still filled with hope – by Stephanie Bechara, University of Florida
• Third Place: Tate Plaza preachers – by Jacob Demmitt, University of Georgia

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Execution of Manuel Valle – by Steven Gallo, University of Florida
• Second Place: State senator fans airboat noise controversy – by Trent Kelly, University of Florida
• Third Place: Tornado spotters – Dominique Bivins, University of Alabama

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: WUFT News, University of Florida
• Second Place: NewsVision, University of Miami
• Third Place: Troy TrojanVision Nightly News, Troy University

Television Feature Reporting
• First Place: Molly and Maria’s excellent adventure – by Kelsey Peck, University of Florida
• Second Place: Bullet proof vest donation – by Alex Heaton, University of South Carolina
• Third Place: UGA Accidentals – by Luke Galloway, Justin Rogers and Jacob Demmitt, University of Georgia

Television In-depth Reporting
• First Place: Ka Nako – by Wandoo Makurdi, Florida A&M University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Holt damage – by Matt McCoy, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Texting while driving in Camden – by Jonathan Rodriguez, University of South Carolina
• Third Place: Immigration law’s affect on students – by Rachel Ellis, Troy University

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Tuscaloosa tornado – Bradley Whittington, University of Alabama
• Second Place: Occupy protesters arrested – by Ashley Burgess, University of South Carolina
• Third Place: Adams Glass Fire – by Courtney N. Steele, Troy University

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Canyons zipline – by Ricardo Navarro and Kelsey Peck, University of Florida
• Second Place: Commuters – by Drew Appolonia, University of Miami
• Third Place: No award*

Television News Photography
• First Place: Controlled burn – by Katie Keene and Gabe Mandler, University of Florida
• Second Place: Making wildfires – by Jonathan Rodriguez, University of South Carolina
• Third Place: Occupy protesters arrested – by Ashley Burgess, University of South Carolina

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: SCAD Equestrian at the ANRC Equitation Championship – by Emily Van Horn and Josh Wolfe, Savanna College of Art and Design at Savannah
• Second Place: Sunshine numbers – by Samantha Herstine, University of South Carolina
• Third Place: Morgan Hasty’s battle – by Danielle Percival, Troy University

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: Conor Dwyer – by Katie Gillen, University of Florida
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*


Two-year/community colleges

General News Reporting
• First Place: Lake Worth’s club questions budget shortfalls – by Erin Hayes, Palm Beach State College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Writing
• First Place: He came, he saw, he conquered: The House that Schnellenberger built – by Pedro Heizer, Palm Beach State College
• Second Place: Gone with the “win” – by Tracy Harris, Palm Beach State College
• 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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