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 8 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 8 includes Oklahoma and Texas. 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 8 SPJ Spring Conference held at the Fort Worth Hilton in Fort Worth, Texas. 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 8 WINNERS

Four-year colleges

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Bus accident – by Daniel Gomez, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Fire fatigue – by Matt Hellman, Baylor University
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Little sister – by Ashley Dunn, Baylor University
• Second Place: A voice in your corner – by Chris Derrett, Baylor University
• Third Place: Nuclear information – by Matt Billiot, Lamar University

General News Photography
• First Place: Outages, leak mark frigid day – by Matt Hellman, Baylor University
• Second Place: Veterans Day flag – by Daniel Gomez, Abilene Christian University
• Third Place: Switchfoot concert – by Daniel Gomez, Abilene Christian University

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Surviving suicide – by Daniel Ethridge, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: From Pat Neff bells to wedding bells – by Ambika Singh, Baylor University
• Third Place: Fear and ammo in a Texas suburb – by Spike Johnson, University of North Texas

Sports Photography
• First Place: Williamson collision – by Meagan Downing, University of Baylor
• Second Place: Griner shines – by Matt Hellman, Baylor University
• Third Place: Rope 'em in! – by Rebecca Burke, Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Image Magazine, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: Mayborn Magazine, University of North Texas
• Third Place: Focus Magazine, Baylor University

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Fear and ammo in a Texas suburb – by Spike Johnson, University of North Texas
• Second Place: Surviving suicide – by Emily Atteberry, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: Evolution of a smartass – by Noah Bunn, University of North Texas

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: University Star, Texas State University
• Second Place: The Oklahoma Daily, University of Oklahoma
• Third Place: North Texas Daily, University of North Texas

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Trinitonian, Trinity University
• Second Place: The Bells, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
• Third Place: No award*

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Former student charged with attempted WMD use – by Tommy Magelssen and Jon Arnold, Texas Tech University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Daily Texan editorial board, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: Mary Stanfield, University of Oklahoma
• Third Place: Ryan Self, Abilene Christian University

Feature Writing
• First Place: Quartz campers get creative time – by Adam Kemp, Oklahoma State University
• Second Place: May hay – by Laura Acuff, Abilene Christian University
• Third Place: Mother and daughters learn to cope – by Adam Kemp, Oklahoma State University

General Column Writing
• First Place: Chip Wozniak, Texas State University
• Second Place: Lariat staff, Baylor University
• Third Place: The Daily Texan staff, University of Texas at Austin

General News Reporting
• First Place: Kerksick series – by Kathleen Evans, University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: Wildfire series – by Evan Duncan, Brittany Montgomery and JC Jones, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
• Third Place: Tuition hike likely – by Jared Rader, University of Oklahoma

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Million-dollar bust – by Ioanna Makris, April Cunningham and Caroline Courtney, Texas Tech University
• Second Place: Familial ties pose potential conflict in MyEdu contract – by Liz Farmer, University of Texas at Austin
• Third Place: Discrepancy between levels of public education visible in Dallas – by Jordan Jennings, Amanda Presmyk, Laura Murphy and Essete Workneh, Southern Methodist University

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Trey Scott, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: James Poling, Oklahoma State University
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Writing
• First Place: Transfer woes – by RJ Young, University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: Life on a scoreboard – Chris Moore, Lamar University
• Third Place: Giant steps – by Kyle Fredrickson, Oklahoma State University

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: TCU 360 (tcu360.com), Texas Christian University
• Second Place: The Shorthorn Online (theshorthorn.com), University of Texas at Arlington
• Third Place: The Daily Texan Online (dailytexanonline.com), University of Texas at Austin

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Map guides tour of lights – by Samantha Sutherland, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Ride 2 Recovery – by Tina Phan, Texas State University
• Third Place: Holiday season leaves many students feeling SAD – by Mark Anthony Smith, University of Central Oklahoma

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Light of Day project: Campus Crime – by the staff of SMU Daily Mustang and The Daily Campus, Southern Methodist University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Locals gather at former President Bush’s home to celebrate Bin Laden’s death – by the Daily Mustang Staff, Southern Methodist University
• Second Place: Government default could delay TCU's financial aid funds – by Andrea Drush, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: One dead, many injured in ACU bus accident – by The Optimist staff, Abilene Christian University

Online Opinion and Commentary
• First Place: University Star Editorial Board, Texas State University
• Second Place: Leah Burchfiel, Northwestern Oklahoma State University
• Third Place: No award*

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Bears edge Washington in Alamo Bowl – by Tyler Alley, Baylor University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Ben Miller, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Esteban Diaz, Baylor University
• Third Place: No award*

Radio Feature Reporting
• First Place: Bastrop Fire Reflections – by Lizzie Chen, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Widlfire rebuilding – by Reshma Kirpalani, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: Women in prison – by Lindsey Ruta, University of Oklahoma
• Third Place: No award*
Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: OU Nightly – by the OU Nightly staff, University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: TCU News Now – by the TCU News Now staff, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: No award*

Television Feature Reporting
• First Place: Leah Green Thumb: Student artist gardens on the go – by Caitlin Bradford, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Karate kid – by Ashley Lovine, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: Dorm pet – by Kerri Feczko, Texas Christian University

Television In-depth Reporting
• First Place: Special Report: Extended coverage of fatal bus accident – by Farron Salley and Jozie Sands, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Basket toss – by Leah Watkins, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: No award*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: College students testing their luck – by Chinh Doan,University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: State park attendance – by Christopher Adams, Kaleigh Schneider, Jon Scott and Morgan Williams, University of Texas at Austin
• Third Place: Juli Busken: Fifteen years later – by Ricky Maranon, University of Oklahoma

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: ACU bus wrecks while traveling to service project – by Farron Sally, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Leah Green Thumb: Student artist gardens on the go – by Caitlin Bradford, Abilene Christian University
• Second Place: Froggie drivers – by Kerri Feczko, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: Science class – by Amelia Wenzel, Texas Christian University

Television News Photography
• First Place: Veterans Day – by Brittany Rainville, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: Droughts & pumpkins – by Aaron Woolley & Morgan Downing, University of Oklahoma
• Third Place: No award*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Air Force on 9/11 – by Madison Pelletier, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: OU rugby – by Nichelle Johns and Sara Lavas, University of Oklahoma
• Third Place: Helmet Luck – by David Stein, Texas Christian University

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: UT vs. Texas Tech – by Becca Rushworth and Alex Stockwell, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: Wildcats hang 51 in rout of Western Oregon – by Austin Gwin and Kristin Goodspeed, Abilene Christian University
• Third Place: ACU escapes Tarleton State with a 27-24 victory – by Kristin Goodspeed and Taylor Langston, Abilene Christian University


Two-year/community college

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: The Collegian Online (collegian.tccd.edu), Tarrant County College
• Second Place: The Ranger Online (theranger.org), San Antonio College
• Third Place: The Ranger Online (acranger.com), Amarillo College

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Ranger, San Antonio College
• Second Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College
• Third Place: No award*

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Shelly Williams, Bethany Peterson and Mona Lisa Tucker, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Photography
• First Place: Matt Lundy – by Georgia Phillips, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: Memories of the Tulsa State Fair – by Jordan Garrett, Tulsa Community College
• Third Place: No award*

Feature Writing
• First Place: Student survives – by Karen Gavis, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: TCC student triumphing over addiction and helping others – by Mark Roe, Tulsa Community College
• Third Place: DWI – by Amy Estrada, Tarrant County College

General News Reporting
• First Place: Teacher resigns – by Bethany Peterson, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: Students criticize – by Bethany Peterson, Tarrant County College
• Third Place: G4S partnership series – by Brittney Richerson, Amarillo College

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Ear of a King – by Martiña Treviño and D'André Hillman, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: Play me, I’m yours – by Era Sundar, Edgar Rodriquez and Sarah Vasquez, Austin Community College
• Third Place: B-boys – by Leah Bosworth and Tristian Evans, Tarrant County College

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Coppola, Jordan named presidential finalists – by Bethany Peterson, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Adderall – by Casey Holder, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: ‘Drew Williams, Eric Poe and Marley Malenfant, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Photography
• First Place: SE flag football – by David Reid, Tarrant County College
• 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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