For immediate release

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 6 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 6 includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This year, the contest received more than 4,000 entries across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on March 31 during the Region 6 SPJ Spring Conference held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Bloomington, Minn. 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 6 WINNERS

Four-year colleges

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Stabbings, arrest March 2011 block party – by Ben Pierson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Second Place: Accident – by Anthony Kwan, University of Minnesota
• Third Place: Kostal accosted – by Austin McDowell, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Feature Photography
• First Place: Ramadan – by Mark Vancleave, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: The achiever: Vanessa Harris – by AJ Trela, Marquette University
• Third Place: The short life of a gauge – by Chris Franz, Minnesota State University Moorhead

General News Photography
• First Place: Students salute snow – by Jessica Fleming, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Literary eVolution – by Kathleen Stogin, Marquette University
• Second Place: Focus – by AJ Trela, Marquette University
• Third Place: No award*

Sports Photography
• First Place: Fall – by Anthony Kwan, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Jennie Sunnarborg shoots over Western Illinois' Jackie Rieger in the first half on Feb. 12 – by Andrew Turner, South Dakota State University
• Third Place: Welcome to the B1G show – by Mark Kauzlarich, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Curb Magazine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Second Place: Figments of Imagination, Bismarck State College
• Third Place: The Marquette Journal, Marquette University

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
• First Place: Breathing new life into rural Wisconsin – by Valerie Klessig, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Second Place: Finding independence in Green Bay – by Kayla Jensen, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: Dreamers and dream makers – by Kevin Griffin, Marquette University

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: Minnesota Daily, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: The Badger Herald, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
• First Place: The Marquette Tribune, Marquette University
• Second Place: The Spectator, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Third Place: No award*

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: SA president resigns amid scandal – by John Parnon and Zach Brooke, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: UW students support, protest Hu Jintao visit – by Kathryn Weenig and Kayla Johnson, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: Sviggum’s roles ruled a conflict of interest – by Conor Shine, University of Minnesota

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Daily editorial staff, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: UWM Post editorial board, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Third Place: Badger Herald editorial board, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Feature Writing
• First Place: Generation 9/11 – by Nico Savidge, Alex DiTullio and Alison Bauter, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Second Place: Family honors – by Charly Haley, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: Failing at fashion – by Andy Ambrosius, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

General Column Writing
• First Place: Christopher Meyer, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Matt Lech, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: Kelly White, Marquette University

General News Reporting
• First Place: “Wisc. protesters settle in as labor battle drags on” and “Walker seeks to split UW colleges” – by Jessie van Berkel, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Egyptian students cope with strife at home – by Grace Webb, Minnesota State University, Mankato
• Third Place: Health care benefits cost more for GLBT employees – by Jill Jensen, University of Minnesota

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: SA official admits to newspaper theft, implicates former President Kostal – by Steve Garrison and Zachary Brooke, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: Sources: School of Dentistry must change – by James Nord and Kathryn Elliott, University of Minnesota
• Third Place: Dealer – by Christian Hagen, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Derek Wetmore, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Andrei Greska, Marquette University
• Third Place: Nico Savidge, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sports Writing
• First Place: Fight Club – by Kevin Meagher, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: The captain and his father – by Nico Savidge, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: Living to swim – by Drue Aman, South Dakota State University

Best Affiliated Web Site
• First Place: MN Daily (www.mndaily.com), University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Badger Herald (www.badgerherald.com), University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: No award*

Best Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: UTVS News (www.utvsnews.com), St. Cloud State University
• Second Place: Media Milwaukee (www4.uwm.edu/mediamilwaukee), University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Third Place: Tommie Media (www.tommiemedia.com), University of St. Thomas

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Greek houses pay to maintain their history – by Kaitlin Walker, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep – by John Enger, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: Waldvogel lets his play do the talking – by TommieMedia staff, University of St. Thomas

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: September 11: The day and decade that changed a skyline, security, relationships and us – by Katherine Lymn, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Vacancy – by Kevin Griffin, Marquette University
• Third Place: Specialists help patients through grieving process – by Kelsie O'Keefe, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Online News Reporting
• First Place: New rules: Wisconsin teachers grapple with post-union landscape – by Michael Meidenbauer, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: Student dies after semitruck accident in Dinkytown – by the Daily staff, University of Minnesota
• Third Place: No award*

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Jerry Kill collapses from seizure during game – by Derek Wetmore, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Men’s basketball wins NCAA Division III championship – by Miles Trump, University of St. Thomas
• Third Place: Whitewater crushes Tommies’ championship hopes 20-0 – by Ryan Shaver, University of St. Thomas

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Grant Ertl, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Second Place: Anna Ferris, University of Minnesota
• Third Place: No award*

Radio In-depth Reporting
• First Place: The journey – by Christopher Duffy, St. Cloud State University
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: UW-Eau Claire Foundation purchases St. Bede Monastery – by Megan Roltgen and Lacey Weninger, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Second Place: Renewable energy generator – by Grace Webb, Minnesota State University, Mankato
• Third Place: No award*

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Titan football outlook: Homecoming – by Brandon Kinnard, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Best All-Around Television Newscast
• First Place: UWM PantherVision, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: Campus News, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: UTVS News, St. Cloud State University

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Sign language workshop – by Poonam Girdhar, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Second Place: Sand mandala – by Kaitlyn Teske, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Third Place: Cowboy chiropractor – by Dylan Reichstadt, University of North Dakota

Television In-depth Reporting
• First Place: Budget battle – by UWM PantherVision news staff, University of Wisonsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: Paralympian uses AARC pool to train, aspires to win gold – by Rita Kovtun, University of St. Thomas
• Third Place: No award*

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: E-mail investigation – by Taylor Thompson, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
• Second Place: No TV for tots – by Stephanie Scheurer, University of North Dakota
• Third Place: Students seek work, find North Dakota – by Jennifer Austin and Brandon DeRoo, St. Cloud State University

Television Feature Reporting
• First Place: CLIMB program – by Amanda Tyler, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
• Second Place: Deputy overcomes challenges – by Julie Bech, University of North Dakota
• Third Place: Sand mandala – by Lane Zyvoloski, Minnesota State University Moorhead

Television News Photography
• First Place: NDSU Professor Sandbags – by Cole Ryg, Minnesota State University Moorhead
• Second Place: No award*
• Third Place: No award*

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Sports rivalries – by David Folske, University of North Dakota
• Second Place: Spotlight on SCSU wrestling – by Jim Bothun, Alec Ausmus, Chelsea Johnson and Lindsey Branwall, St. Cloud State University
• Third Place: MSUM spring football – by C.J. Pierre, Minnesota State University Moorhead

* 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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