FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2015

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 congratulates the 2014 Mark of Excellence Awards national winners. The MOE Awards honor the best of collegiate journalism within a calendar year.

National Mark of Excellence Award winners are chosen from the category winners in each of SPJ’s 12 regions, and the awards are judged by journalism professionals with at least three years of experience. Lists of regional winners can be found in SPJ News.

SPJ will recognize first-place national winners at the Student Union event during Excellence in Journalism 2015 in Orlando, Fla., Sept. 18-20.

Judges were directed to choose only those entries they considered outstanding work worthy of a national honor. If the judges determined none of the entries rose to this 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 10,000+ students and small have fewer than 10,000 students.

See the list below for details on national winners, and direct any MOE Awards questions to SPJ Awards Coordinator Abbi Martzall at awards@spj.org or 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
National Winner: Ablaze - by Andrew Mather, University of Central Missouri
National Finalist: Mug shot - by Akash Ghai, The Pennsylvania University
National Finalist: Undocumented student demonstration - by John Roark, University of Georgia

Breaking News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Waverly shooting - by Al Drago, Elon University
National Finalist: Silent witness - by Karleigh Santry, Slippery Rock University
National Finalist: Black lives matter - by James Crissman, Emory University

Editorial Cartooning
National Winner: Hatchet – cartoons - by Jay Fondin, The George Washington University
National Finalist: Editorial cartoons - by Connor Coughlin, North Idaho College
National Finalist: Race, immigration & education - by Jonathan Wences, Alex Hernandez, Eastfield College

Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Stripping down stereotypes - by Abi Reimold, Temple University
National Finalist: Poetic prophecy - by John Farmer de la Torre, University of Missouri-Columbia
National Finalist: Gold dust - by Kelly Smith, Gabrielle Mottaz, University of Miami

Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Festivus - by Al Drago, Elon University
National Finalist: That old Voodoo magic - by Zach Brien, Loyola University New Orleans
National Finalist: A baseball man - by Rebecca Castagna, Quinnipiac University

General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Grand Haven community holds candlelight vigil for Trevor Howard - by Julie Angell, Michigan State University
National Finalist: Brown wins democratic nomination, faces Larry Hogan in general election - by Christian Jenkins, University of Maryland
National Finalist: Housing the universe - by Cary Wilton, Washington State University

General News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Last touch - by Al Drago, Elon University
National Finalist: Juggling hats - by Matthew Strissel, Northwest College
National Finalist: Students were given the opportunity ... - by Chad Phillips, Baker University

Photo Illustration (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: CommUNITY: Community, not color, builds identity - by Laura Woodside, Kayla Stigall, University of Texas - Arlington
National Finalist: Homecoming - by Autumn Mariano, Kaitlyn Johnson and Skyler Pyle, Weber State University
National Finalist: Richter library celebrates Banned Books Week - by Nick Gangemi, University of Miami

Photo Illustration (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Trafficking trap - by Cole Norum, Drake University
National Finalist: It could be you - by Gabriella Warren, Northwest College

Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Rozier steals and storms - by Austin Lassell, University of Louisville
National Finalist: Snowboard competition - by Griffin Harrington, James Madison University
National Finalist: Jubilation - by Caity Kramer, The Pennsylvania University

Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Gonzaga soccer - by Ryan Sullivan, Gonzaga University
National Finalist: Eye ball - by Al Drago, Elon University
National Finalist: #CowboyUp - by Tamara Rodgers, Laramie County Community College

MAGAZINES
Best Student Magazine
National Winner: Curb - by Curb Magazine 2014 Staff, University of Wisconsin - Madison
National Finalist: Backdrop magazine - by Staff, Ohio University
National Finalist: The Human Issue - by The Planet Staff, Western Washington University

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
National Winner: Fever of unknown origin - by Brittany Patterson, University of California at Berkeley
National Finalist: Dear Dolly - by Jenna Fagan, Indiana University
National Finalist: The lost branch - by Lily Katz, University of Washington

NEWSPAPERS
Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
National Winner: The State News - by Staff, Michigan State University
National Finalist: The Daily Mississippian - by Staff, University of Mississippi
National Finalist: March 3, Oct. 9, Dec. 5 issues - by Daily Bruin staff, UCLA

Best All-Around Non Daily Student Newspaper
National Winner: The Loyola Phoenix - by Esther Castillejo (Editor), Loyola University Chicago
National Finalist: The Ithacan - by Ithacan Staff, Ithaca College
National Finalist: The Journal - by The Journal staff, Webster University

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Wildcat Clash with police officers - by Staff of The Daily Wildcat, University of Arizona
National Finalist: Fort Hood shooting leaves three dead - by Rebecca Fiedler, Rae Jefferson, Paula Ann Solis, Baylor University
National Finalist: Katz, trustee and alumnus, dies in plane crash - by Marcus McCarthy Joe Brandt, Temple University

Breaking News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Mold discovered in Elon’s Loy Center addressed by Physical Plant - by Michael Bodley, Elon University
National Finalist: Allies, trustees clash over college policy - by Juliet Suess, Occidental College
National Finalist: CCSL drops five campaigns - by Lynsey Thut, Abilene Christian University

Editorial Writing
National Winner: Our View - by The Crimson White Editorial Board, The University of Alabama
National Finalist: Sexual Assault and students' right to vote - by The Daily Reveille Editorial Board, Louisiana State University
National Finalist: Phoenix editorials - by Daniel Block, Izzy Kornblatt, Z.L. Zhou, Nehmat Kaur, Swarthmore College

Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: At home in America - by Mara Klecker, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
National Finalist: Still standing - by Brea Gaudioso, University of Montana
National Finalist: Homeless or not, he's got the month of May - by Elizabeth Greiwe, Loyola University Chicago

Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: The Unspoken series - by Kari Travis, Taylor University
National Finalist: A day with Google Glass - by Emily Andras, Loyola University New Orleans
National Finalist: The gates within - by Madeline R. Conway, Steven R. Watros, Harvard College

General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: I'll see you at the movies; Why I want to become a doctor; Blurred lines of Justice and Vengeance - by Yi "Patrick" An, University of Maryland College Park
National Finalist: Americans influenced more by YA; #getoverit; Ruined by emails - by Trey Ross, university of Arizona
National Finalist: Just to Claire-ify - by Claire Dodson, University of Tennessee

General Column Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Jims Porter Columns - by Jims Porter, Indiana University Southeast
National Finalist: Secret lives of home-schoolers; Grace eludes some particularly me; America embraces its inner nerd - by Brooke A. Rogers, Laramie County Community College
National Finalist: General column writing - by Russ Davis, University of Washington Tacoma

General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Facing a waning future - by Virgie Hoban, University of California, Berkeley
National Finalist: When students die - by Megan Jula, Indiana University
National Finalist: Maryland's international relationships - by Idrees Ali and Capital News Service staff, Philip Merrill College of Journalism

General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: A Viral View - by Lena Lee, University of Texas at Tyler
National Finalist: Commercial Drones Take Off in Charlotte - by Rachel Adams-Heard, Washington and Lee University

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Wake of the storm - by Katie Shepherd, UCLA
National Finalist: Animal heights - by Lisa Khoury, University at Buffalo
National Finalist: On campus, grenade launchers, M-16s, and armored vehicles - by Daniel Bauman, Webster University

In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Simple justice - by UWT Justice Project at The Ledger, University of Washington Tacoma
National Finalist: A history of red tape - by Teo Armus, Annie Bryan, Catie Edmondson, Columbia University
National Finalist: Cutting master’s pay spells trouble for graduate programs, teachers - by Katy Canada, Elon University

Sports Column Writing
National Winner: Bo Knows - by Kevin Bowman, UCLA
National Finalist: Fourth and 26 - by Jesse Flickinger, The University of Montana
National Finalist: Jim Dayton columns - by Jim Dayton, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
National Winner: Science of the serve - by Thuc Nhi Nguyen, University of Washington
National Finalist: Former Husker football player overcomes drug addiction - by Chris Heady, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
National Finalist: Northwestern's LGBT athletes struggle to find their voices amid a lacking support system - by Tyler Pager, Northwestern University

Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
National Winner: Disorderly conduct - by Orlea L. Miller, Juliet Spies-Gans, Harvard College
National Finalist: Men's basketball to leave C-USA as champions [story on left] - by Jesse Keipp, University of Tulsa
National Finalist: Sabons & Stach: An overseas journey - by Eden Laase, Gonzaga University

ONLINE
Best Affiliated Web Site
National Winner: Vandal Nation - by Staff, University of Idaho
National Finalist: The Harvard Crimson Website - by The Harvard Crimson Staff, Harvard College
National Finalist: CentralFloridaFuture.com - by Central Florida Future staff, University of Central Florida

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
National Winner: Bellwethr - by The Bellwethr Staff, Syracuse University
National Finalist: Vox Magazine iPad edition - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia
National Finalist: West Virginia Uncovered - by staff, Reed College of Media, West Virginia University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
National Winner: NYCity News Service - by NYCity News Service Staff, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
National Finalist: Driving forces, Innovation on Montana's Reservations - by Native News Project Team 2014, University of Montana School of Journalism

Best Use of Multimedia
National Winner: Whole hog: The power of pork - by Powering A Nation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
National Finalist: Chop, boom, you're gone - by The Temple News Staff, Temple University
National Finalist: Our blue highways - by Vox staff, University of Missouri-Columbia

Online Feature Reporting
National Winner: Saving Sisay - by Faiz Siddiqui, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
National Finalist: Dad's bucket - by Charles Scudder, Anna Teeter, Missy Wilson, Indiana University
National Finalist: American dream, Mexican nightmare - by Lucinda Holt and Sarah Self-Walbrick, Texas Tech University

Online In-Depth Reporting
National Winner: DenseCity - by NYCity News Service Staff, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
National Finalist: Whole hog: The power of pork - by Powering A Nation, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
National Finalist: Breaking the class ceiling - by Shelbi Anderson, Jeff Wade, Ricardo Quintana, Jared Jakins, Brigham Young University

Online News Reporting
National Winner: Iowa Chinese students struggle to adjust, feel lack of support - by Lu Shen, University of Iowa
National Finalist: Black Lives Matter protest sparks conversation about on-campus racism - by Lyssa Goldberg, University of Miami
National Finalist: The Kenny "Zulu" Whitmore case - by Staff, Northwestern University

Online Opinion & Commentary
National Winner: Commentary by Alexa Epitropoulos - by Alexa Epitropoulos, Flagler College
National Finalist: TV columnist - by Meryl Gottlieb, Ohio University
National Finalist: Ask Abby - by Abby Student Marcus Grove Tesia Lingenfelter, Washington State University

Online Sports Reporting
National Winner: Baltimore's forgotten champions: An oral history of the Baltimore Stallions - by CNS Staff, University of Maryland College of Journalism
National Finalist: For the love of baseball - by Steven Goldstein, Northwestern University

RADIO BROADCAST
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
National Winner: Carolina Connection — Oct. 25, 2014 - by Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill
National Finalist: WRHU-FM Newsline October 27 2014 - by Neil A. Carousso Rich DeKorte Dan Savarino Juliana Spano Sean Bates, Hofstra
National Finalist: ARN Live Show - November 5, 2014 - by Carrie Poppy, Camile Requiestas, Victor Figueroa, Andy Vasoyan, University of Southern California

Radio Feature
National Winner: Me, my dad and Marvin Gaye - by Sarah Zahedi, University of Southern California
National Finalist: Painting to your own beat - by Molly Evans, University of Oklahoma
National Finalist: Cell phones making it harder to sleep - by Parth Shah, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill

Radio In-Depth Reporting
National Winner: Beleaguered school in far rockaway bounces back - by Gwynne Hogan, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
National Finalist: Marijuana Birds-I-View - by Tyler Bachman, Emily Pomorski, WZND News Team, Illinois State University
National Finalist: In-depth coverage of UNC academic scandal - by Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill

Radio News Reporting
National Winner: Greenworks employes ex-cons - by Reem Nasr, University of Michigan
National Finalist: Ridesharing apps cause concern for local taxi companies - by Jessica Clark, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill
National Finalist: You should know: Bus boycott pioneer Mary Smith - by Katy Ganaway, David Caddell, Winn Carroll, Troy University

Radio Sports Reporting
National Winner: Race fans flock for the ‘Almost-Crashes’ - by Peter Haden, Arizona State University
National Finalist: Dave Finn: Golf fanatic - by Rich DeKorte, Hofstra University
National Finalist: KBVU Sports Homecoming Week - by Tanner Hoops, Buena Vista University

TELEVISION BROADCAST
Best All-Around Television Newscast
National Winner: Cronkite News - by Kelsey Tardio, Brittany Ducksworth, ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
National Finalist: Carolina Week — Dec. 3, 2014 - by Carolina Week, University of North Carolina — Chapel Hill
National Finalist: Northwestern News Report: Election Show 2014 - by Sharon Yoo Catherine Reid, Northwestern University, Medill

Television Breaking News Reporting
National Winner: Spanish Trace shootings - by Nicole Acevedo, Molly Robinson, James Torrez, Stephanie Matarazzo, University of Florida
National Finalist: CMU protests Ferguson decision - by Clayton Cummins, Central Michigan University
National Finalist: Waiting game-midterm elections - by Paul Dudley Jake Dmochowski David Shorr Susan Walker, Boston University

Television Feature Reporting
National Winner: Fun with physics - by Onize Ohikere, Minnesota State University Moorhead
National Finalist: GDD wine class - by Nicole Suarez, DePaul University
National Finalist: Powerful performer - by Lily Checketts, Brigham Young University

Television General News Reporting
National Winner: Mesa Police body cameras - by Tara Molina, Arizona State University
National Finalist: Controversy over emissions testing - by Brandon Fonda Aaron Griffiths, Utah State University
National Finalist: 'Shake and Bake' changing the face of the local meth industry - by Omar Jimenez, Northwestern University

Television In-Depth Reporting
National Winner: Arizona's water future - by Vondalynn Dias, ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
National Finalist: ViewFinder: A free smile - by Bradleigh Chance, Tim Drummond, Phil Staiman, Drew Snadecki, Chloe Leshner, Shannon Atran, Megan Brooke, University of Maryland
National Finalist: Underemployment in Utah - by Justin Ashby, Brigham Young University

Television News and Feature Photography
National Winner: Breakthrough law strives to bring gender equality to Senegal’s government - by Contessa Gayles, Ali Withers, NYU
National Finalist: Depression: The hidden struggle - by Jetske Wauran, University of La Verne
National Finalist: There's something happening here - by Daniel Hamburg, Michigan State University

Television Sports Photography
National Winner: Scuba class at MSUM - by Lindsay Anderson Mike Hanson, Minnesota State University Moorhead
National Finalist: CircumBurke challenge - by Kevin Kelleher, Lyndon State College
National Finalist: Warren East practice - by Daniel Blommel, Western Kentucky University

Television Sports Reporting
National Winner: Concussions: It's a girl thing, too - by Kari Osep, ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
National Finalist: UW Boxing - by Alex Bosco, University of Washington
National Finalist: Recruiting rankings - by Rixon Lane, University of South Carolina

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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