FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Awards Coordinator, 317-920-4791, awards@spj.org
Taylor Carlier, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, tcarlier@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the 2014 Mark of Excellence Awards winners from Region 7. The MOE Awards honor the best of collegiate journalism from a calendar year.

SPJ’s Region 7 comprises Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Honorees received award certificates the weekend of March 28 at the Region 7 Spring Conference in Omaha, Nebraska. First-place winners will move on to the national MOE competition among category winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at Excellence in Journalism 2015 (EIJ15) in Orlando, Florida, Sept. 18 to 20.

Entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. The awards honor the best in student journalism. As such, judges were directed to choose only those entries they felt were outstanding work worthy of such an honor. If the judges determined that none of the entries rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.

School divisions are based on student enrollment, which includes both graduate and undergraduate enrollment: Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.

See the list below for details on the Region 7 winners, and direct any MOE Awards questions to Awards Coordinator Abbi Martzall: awards@spj.org, and 317-920-4791.

Note: The list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award-entry process.

ART/GRAPHICS
Breaking News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Ablaze - by Andrew Mather, University of Central Missouri
Finalist: University Daily Kansan - Faux Fawkes - by George Mullinix, University of Kansas
Finalist: Cops wait - by Blake Lanser, Iowa State University

Breaking News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Homework in the streets - by Natalie Martinez, Webster University
Finalist: Children of Ferguson - by Natalie Martinez, Webster University

Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Poetic prophecy - by John Farmer de la Torre, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: The last stand - by Yue Wu, Iowa State University
Finalist: Painting class relieves stress - by Blake Lanser, Iowa State University

Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Powder puff football - by Chad Phillips, Baker University

General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Tom Short - by Kelby Wingert, Iowa State University
Finalist: Skydiving club celebrates 50th anniversary - by Hannah Hunsinger, Kansas State University

General News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Students were given the opportunity ... - by Chad Phillips, Baker University

Photo Illustration (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Trafficking trap - by Cole Norum, Drake University
Finalist: System in transition - by Morgan Cannata, Drake University
Finalist: Inked - by Taylor Shuck and Chad Phillips, Baker University

Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: ISU volleyball defeats TCU after five close sets - by Sam Greene, Iowa State University
Finalist: Darris Smith draws a foul - by Romain Polge, Lindenwood University

Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Football senior day - by Chad Phillips, Baker University

MAGAZINES
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Native daughter's Oklahoma - by College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Vox Magazine - The Health Care Issue - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Drake Magazine - by Drake Magazine, Drake University

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: 70 things you never knew you wanted to know about hair - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Love in the time of chlamydia - by Tracey Goldner, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: The girl with the golden heart - by Rebecca Dell, University of Missouri-Columbia

NEWSPAPERS
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: Feb. 28, Oct. 9, Dec. 5 newspapers - by Iowa State Daily staff, Iowa State University
Finalist: The Collegian - by Staff, Kansas State University

Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: The Journal - by The Journal staff, Webster University
Finalist: The Standard - by The Standard staff, Missouri State University
Finalist: The Campus Ledger- by Campus Ledger staff, Johnson County Community College

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Deaths a shock to Saco, Maine - by Faiz Siddiqui, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Neighbor details Dejean-Jones' behavior that led to arrest - by Max Dible, Iowa State University
Finalist: Bitcoins at heart of server breach, ISU offers identity protection service - by Makayla Tendall, Iowa State University

Editorial Writing
Winner: Editorial writing - by The Baker Orange Editorial Staff, Baker University
Finalist: Lingering thoughts surrounding the lockdown; College enrollment down, but not out; Lack of unity in - by Campus Ledger editorial board, Johnson County Community College

Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: At home in America - by Mara Klecker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: A stable relationship - by Mara Klecker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Family moving in search of medical marijuana - by Taylor Shuck, Baker University
Finalist: A reporter researches click-baiting — the results will blow your mind! - by Christina Lieffring, Johnson County Community College
Finalist: Kelley and Kelly get married - by Matt Duchesne, Webster University

General Column Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: General column writing - by Taylor Shuck, Baker University
Finalist: Those who suffer: don’t lose hope; Crisis in Ukraine escalates; Royals have found winning formula - by Valerie Velikaya, Johnson County Community College
Finalist: Navigating the city of fog - by Alex Wilking, Webster University

General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Fire erupts in campus residence hall - by Sean Robinson, Lindsi Fulk, Alicia Lambert, Nick Beaulieu, University of Nebraska at Omaha
Finalist: Thanks to outreach, U.S. colleges enjoy jump in gifts from abroad - by Daniel Bauman, Webster University
Finalist: ISU students may face above-average debt - by Danielle Ferguson, Iowa State University

General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Lockdown update: Investigation continues... - by Christina Lieffring, Johnson County Community College
Finalist: Lockdown leaves students questioning campus safety - by Valerie Velikaya, Johnson County Community College
Finalist: Ferguson - by Spencer Gleason, Olivia Hall, St. Louis Community College Meramec

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: On campus, grenade launchers, M-16s, and armored vehicles - by Daniel Bauman, Webster University
Finalist: The engineered foods debate - by Sam Aspnes, Angela Hensel, Conor Dunn, Elisabeth Arneson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: The costs and benefits of an elite college chess team - by Daniel Bauman, Webster University

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Former Husker football player overcomes drug addiction - by Chris Heady, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: University Daily Kansan - Perry Ellis: Quiet by design - by Blake Schuster, University of Kansas
Finalist: Gymnast cheated death, then became a Husker - by Chris Heady, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Grossner leads Wildcats despite cancer - by Chad Mullen, Baker University
Finalist: BU alumnus catches for Johnny Football - by Lauren Bechard, Baker University
Finalist: Webster Quidditch player copes with Marfan Syndrome, stops playing - by Dane Watkins, Webster University

ONLINE
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: NewsNetNebraska.org - by NewsNetNebraska staff, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Drakemagazine.com - by drakemagazine.com, Drake University
Finalist: The Baker Orange Website - by The Baker Orange Staff, Baker University

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Winner: Vox Magazine iPad edition - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Think - by Think , Drake University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: The Tack ONLINE - by The Tack, Buena Vista University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Our blue highways - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Life and death with dogs - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Exploring Mexico - by Chad Phillips, Baker University

Online Feature Reporting
Winner: Saving Sisay - by Faiz Siddiqui, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Our blue highways - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Former female boxer learns from blow to the brain - by Inma Mateos, University of Iowa

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Behind the veil - by Brianna Soukup, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Breaking the cycle: Meth addiction in the heartland - by Katie Kuntz, University of Iowa
Finalist: Iowa's texting-while-driving ban not reducing crashes, hard to enforce - by Sarah Hadley, University of Iowa

Online News Reporting
Winner: Iowa Chinese students struggle to adjust, feel lack of support - by Lu Shen, University of Iowa
Finalist: Multicultural students, community unite in peaceful protest - by Richard Martinez, Iowa State University

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: Science of soccer, Webster soccer player find an advantage through the flip throw - by Sam Masterson Victoria Courtney Emily Ratkewicz, Webster University
Finalist: The future of football - by Tera Lyons, Baker University
Finalist: Cross country finishes season at nationals - by The Baker Orange Staff, Baker University

RADIO BROADCAST
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: KBVU Did You Know News 10/09/14 - by Madeleine McCormick and Susie Haack, Buena Vista University

Radio News Reporting
Winner: A big, small business boom in Lincoln - by Chelsea Eaton, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Buenafication Day special coverage - by Annie Reiva, Liz Fay, Kelsey Mitchell, Cassie Forsyth, Buena Vista University
Finalist: Warped Tour special coverage - by Scott Locati and Susie Haack, Buena Vista University

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: KBVU Sports Homecoming Week - by Tanner Hoops, Buena Vista University
Finalist: KBVU Sports Beaver Nation Week - by Tanner Hoops, Buena Vista University

TELEVISION BROADCAST
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: KUJH News - Dec. 5, 2014 - by Allison Hammond, Sierra Upton, Luke Huttner, Tomas Hoppough, University of Kansas
Finalist: Star City News - by Star City News Staff, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: LCTV News - by LCTV Staff, Loras College

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: KUJH News Follmer Murrow television feature reporting - by Amy Follmer, University of Kansas
Finalist: UNL researchers improve breast cancer detection - by Kayla Van Wie, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Drone stand-off between journalists and the F.A.A. - by Chelsea Eaton, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Maury Lorence; A death to ponder - by Haley Herzog, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: KUJH News - Same sex marriage - by Tomas Hoppough, Sierra Upton, University of Kansas

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Election night 2014 live coverage - by Star City News Staff, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Finalist: Panhandling rules - by Shane Franklin, Missouri State University
Finalist: Living with AIDS - The Story of Brryan Jackson - by Brittany Velasco, Lindenwood University

Television News and Feature Photography
Winner: USA synchro team member - by Dennise Ramirez, Lindenwood University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Waiting game - by Mihir Bhagat, Clayton Conness, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Battle's special season - by Mihir Bhagat, University of Missouri-Columbia
Finalist: Love is blind - by Mihir Bhagat, Brent Pearson, University of Missouri-Columbia

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 spj.org.

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