Contacts:
Abbi Martzall, SPJ Awards Coordinator, (317) 920-4791, amartzall@spj.org
Anna Gutierrez, SPJ Communications Coordinator, (317) 920-4785, agutierrez@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS – Five MOEy finalists have been selected from more than 4,000 entries in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence Awards competition. The MOEy honors the best of the best in student journalism.

Student entries are first judged regionally in print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism categories. First-place regional winners advance to the national competition and then are able to compete for the MOEy award.

This year’s MOEy finalists are:
• Marcella Mercer and Calla Kessler, Lincoln Journal Star, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (Feature Reporting, Large School Division)
• Maggie Andresen, Temple University (General News Photography, Large School Division)
• Capital News Service staff, University of Maryland (Online In-Depth Reporting)
• Jessa O’Connor, Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Radio News Reporting)
• 2016 Documentary Unit, KUFM-Montana PBS, University of Montana School of Journalism (TV In-Depth Reporting)

Marcella Mercer and Calla Kessler
Marcella Mercer and Calla Kessler of the story profiles a South Dakota mother who adopted nine Native American children with fetal alcohol system.

Maggie Andresen
Maggie Andresen of Temple University is a national winner in General News Photography in the Large School Division for her photo "Let the Children Lead the Way."

Capital News Service
The Capital News Service of the Phillip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland is a national winner for Online In-Depth Reporting. The series “In Poor Health” explores why Baltimore’s world-renowned health system is struggling to keep Freddie Gray’s neighbors – some of the city’s poorest residents – from getting sick.

Jessa O’Connor
Jessa O’Connor from the Carolina Connection of the School of Media and Journalism at UNC-Chapel Hill is the national winner for Radio News Reporting. You can listen to the piece “UNC study finds contaminated water in Wake County wells” here.

2016 Documentary Unit, KUFM Montana PBS
The 2016 Documentary Unit in the School of Journalism at the University of Montana is the national winner for TV In-Depth Reporting. The program “Aging Out: Autism in Montana” focused on the framework of care for post-adolescent children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Montana.

The winner of the MOEy will be presented at Excellence in Journalism 2017 during the Student Union Sept. 8. The event is free with EIJ17 registration.

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