For Immediate Release:

Contact:
Lauren Rochester, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210, lrochester@spj.org
Christine DiGangi, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 205, cdigangi@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists has awarded Breann Schossow the Julie Galvan Outstanding Graduate in Journalism Award. Schossow graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in May and is the third student from the university to receive this honor.

This award was first given in 1998, two years after Julie Galvan, a former president of the SPJ San Jose State University Campus Chapter, was killed in a car accident. She was on her way to an internship with the Washington Post when the collision occurred. In honor of Julie, SPJ recognizes one graduate in journalism who is outstanding in his or her class on the basis of character, service to the community, scholarship, proficiency in practical journalism and significant contributions to his or her SPJ chapter.

During her time at UW-Eau Claire, Schossow took on several leadership roles in the student media. She served as managing editor and editor-in-chief of the weekly newspaper The Spectator, a senior producer for 89.7 WUEC-FM and president of the UW-Eau Claire SPJ chapter. She also worked as a part-time reporter for the local Eau Claire Leader-Telegram while at school.

In addition to the letter nominating Schossow, five letters of recommendation were submitted to SPJ, each outlining Schossow’s talent and dedication to journalism.

One of her many work experiences was with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and Deputy Managing Editor Thomas Koetting wrote this about her:

“About halfway through Breann Schossow’s internship with us last summer, one of our local editors observed that it’s not just that she’s talented and dedicated, it’s that she’s ‘so far ahead of the curve in all those little things that make a reporter successful.’ This is an editor who has been in the business for more than three decades…. That’s how strongly he and the rest of us who worked with Schossow feel about her and her work.”

Schossow was honored Sept. 21 at the Student Union event at Excellence in Journalism 2012, an annual journalism-training conference hosted by SPJ and the Radio Television Digital News Association. Schossow works on the national desk as an intern with NPR in Washington, D.C.

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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