Contacts:
Christine Cordial, SPJ Program Coordinator, 317-920-4788, awards@spj.org
Anna Gutierrez, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-920-4785, communications@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 7 with 2017 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 7 comprises Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Honorees received award certificates the weekend of April 14 at the Region 7 Conference. First-place winners will compete at the national level among other regional MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Baltimore.

MOE Awards entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. Judges were directed to choose entries they felt were among the best in student journalism. If no entry rose to the level of excellence, no award was given. Any category not listed has no winner.

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

The list below details all Region 7 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact Christine Cordial via email or phone at 317-920-4788.

This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries.

Newspapers

Breaking News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Council approves $110 million financing plan for Dollar Tree - by Jacque Flanagan, University of Central Missouri
Finalist: Officers make arrest following manhunt - by Chris Holmberg, University of Central Missouri

Breaking News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: College Republicans react to notes left on poster - by Katherine Bauer, Drake University

General News Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Headcount padding: Wichita State reports largest student increase in state - by Chance Swaim, Matthew Kelly and Ray Strunk, Wichita State University
Finalist: Supplemental tuition coming to the fore - by Rachel Zuckerman, University of Iowa
Finalist: Did Lawrence's plan for an arts district fail? - by Omar Sanchez and Courntey Biernam, University of Kansas

General News Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Students ‘shame’ St. Louis Police Department after Stockley verdict - by Haley Walter, Webster University
Finalist: They're Beyonce's, made by LU alumna - by Kyle Rainey, Lindenwood University
Finalist: Burglaries evoke response from public safety - by Jessica Lynk, Drake University

In-Depth Reporting (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: When evidence goes untested, sex offenders go undetected, advocates say - by Anna Brett, University of Missouri
Finalist: Surviving El Monte's food deserts - by Titus Wu, University of Missouri
Finalist: The cheating dilemma — deciphering academic fraud at the UI - by Anis Shakirah Mohd Muslimin, University of Iowa

In-Depth Reporting (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: The heroic life and traumatic death of Tom Palozola - by Sara Bannoura and Hanna Holthaus, Webster University

Feature Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Who's really listening? - by Grace Pateras, University of Iowa
Finalist: Every day I'm terrified': Hugo Bolanos' story - by Emily Blobaum, Iowa State University
Finalist: It's not rare, it's rarely diagnosed - by Emily Blobaum, Iowa State University

Feature Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Drepung Gomang Monastery brings traditional mandala art to Webster University - by Andrew McMunn, Webster University
Finalist: Mind’s Eye Radio brings beepball to Webster University - by Andrew McMunn, Webster University

Sports Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Beneath Brick, Haley's impact on players is traced to his son's impact on him - by Peter Baugh, University of Missouri
Finalist: It's not just another game - by Emily Barske, Iowa State University

Sports Writing (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Coach brings musical past, success - by J.T. Buchheit, Lindenwood University
Finalist: Former LU linebacker's ascent - by Phil Scherer, Lindenwood University
Finalist: Alumni divided, lawsuits pending, athletic director criticized - by Adam Rogan, Drake University

Editorial Writing
Winner: Why transparency matters; Now is the time to stand up for academic freedom; ‘Sooner or later, the truth catches up’ - by Chance Swaim, Wichita State University

General Column Writing (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: What can K-State actually do to fight bigotry?; Witch-hunting does nothing to stop racism on campus; The “alt-right” movement is built on lies, misinformation - by Kyle Hampel, Kansas State University

Sports Column Writing
Winner: If Big 12 quarterbacks were fast food chains; If Big 12 running backs were cars; If Big 12 wide receivers were soda brands - by DeAundra Allen and Nathan Enserro, Kansas State University

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper
Winner: Iowa State Daily - by Emily Barske, Iowa State University

Magazines

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: Missouri’s opioid epidemic - by Rick Morgan, University of Missouri
Finalist: On thin ice - by Molly Longman, Drake University
Finalist: Staring down the barrel - by Staff of Vox Magazine, University of Missouri

Best Student Magazine
Winner: Vox Magazine - by Staff of Vox Magazine, University of Missouri
Finalist: Legacy - by Staff of Legacy, Lindenwood University
Finalist: The Annual - by Jennifer Krane, Drake University

Art/Graphics

Breaking News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Finalist: Transgender Republican - by Emily Blobaum, Iowa State University
Finalist: Shooting on Market - by Brian Hayes, Wichita State University

Breaking News Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Police give details of violence following verdict - by Ashley Higginbotham, Lindenwood University

General News Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Special delivery - by Matt Crow, Wichita State

Feature Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Manipur: Portraits of resilience - by Neeta Satam, University of Missouri
Finalist: Train. Race. Win. Repeat. - by Claire Rounkles, University of Missouri
Finalist: Autumn air - by Meg Shearer and Emilly Starkey, Kansas State University

Feature Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Very velvet - by Sam Fathallah, Drake University

Photo Illustration (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: White space - by Huong Truong and Alex Wozniczka, University of Missouri
Finalist: Hushed and hidden - Rape culture awareness - by George Walker and Olivia Bergmeier, Kansas State University
Finalist: Spice up your style - by Huong Truong and Alex Wozniczka, University of Missouri

Sports Photography (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Drake relays - by Emily Blobaum, Iowa State University
Finalist: Nearing victory - by Matt Crow, Wichita State
Finalist: The triumphant underdog - by Cooper Kinley, Kansas State University

Sports Photography (Small) 1-9,999 Students
Winner: Freshman Max Meylor unsuccessfully blocks Northwest's Anthony Woods - by Carly Fristoe, Lindenwood University
Finalist: Lindenwood table tennis flies past divisional tournament - by Walker Van Wey, Lindenwood University

Radio

Radio News Reporting
Finalist: Food insecurity on campus: Local pantry helps students as awareness grows - by Kara Tabor, University of Missouri
Finalist: Bike safety concerns in Lincoln, Nebraska - by Holly Kell, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Radio Feature
Winner: The appeal of modern obstacle courses - by Hannah Jerome, University of Kansas
Finalist: Following the trail of the monarch butterflies: an interview with Sara Dykman - by Erin McKinstry, University of Missouri
Finalist: Women raising alpacas, creating fabric - by Catherine Wheeler, University of Missouri

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Intersection - Missouri DACA recipients share stories of immigration and belonging - by Hannah Haynes, University of Missouri
Finalist: Retired doctor holds on to dwindling African American farming tradition - by Erin McKinstry, University of Missouri
Finalist: We've Got Issues Ep.6: Cryonics (ft. Alcor Co-Founder Linda Chamberlain) - by Garrett Mould, University of Kansas

Radio Sports Reporting
Winner: Columbia College's Girls Who Game event connects teen girls to electronic sports - by Hannah Haynes, University of Missouri

Television

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Growth threatens fire safety in parts of Lincoln - by Kellan Heavican, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Finalist: Racism at Burger King - by Lauren Davidson, University of Kansas

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Joe's journey - by Jackson Kurtz, University of Kansas
Finalist: The Carillonist - by Grant Stephens, University of Kansas
Finalist: Raising the star - by Austin Moulder, Micah Redding and Cole Howerton, College of the Ozarks

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: DACA uncertainty in Crete, Nebraska - by Bree Samani, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Finalist: Blair Oaks High School eliminates class rank - by Eva Cheng, University of Missouri

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: February 15, 2017 newscast - by Staff of LCTV News, Loras College
Finalist: December 6, 2017 newscast - by Mallory Hauser and Courtney Gehrke, University of Kansas
Finalist: Star City News - by Staff of LNKTV, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Online

Online News Reporting
Winner: Lincoln nonprofit provides training, hope to former inmates - by Lauren Brown-Hulme, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Finalist: Residential fire near campus - by Kim Harms, Nell Gross, Carina Smith and Spencer Carey, Johnson County Community College
Finalist: College Republicans weigh in on Trump's term - by Joe Hooper, Johnson County Community College

Online Feature Reporting
Winner: Fathers and sons - by Marcella Mercer and Emily McMinn, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Finalist: The protesting priest - by Angela Ufheil, Drake University
Finalist: Labor intensive fight - by Staff of Vox Magazine, University of Missouri

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Refuge on the prairie: Lincoln's story of resettlement - by Staff of Nebraska Mosaic, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
Finalist: Campus carry at KU - by Chandler Boese, Angie Baldelomar, McKenna Harford and Darby VanHoutan, University of Kansas
Finalist: From endless pines to oil mines - by Hannah Trull, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: 500 miles on 500 dollars - by Matthew Gogerty and Adam Rogan, Drake University
Finalist: Five years later: the final border war - by Amie Just, University of Kansas
Finalist: Exercising minds: Mental strength training enhances athletic performance - by Walker Van Wey, Lindenwood University

Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Autism in America columns - by J.T. Buchheit, Lindenwood University
Finalist: International security issues the U.S. faces in the Middle East and North Africa - by Daniel Saenz, Fort Hays State University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: VoxMagazine.com - by Staff of Vox Magazine, University of Missouri
Finalist: Kansan.com - by Staff of Kansan.com, University of Kansas

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: Urban Plains - by Staff of Urban Plains, Drake University
Finalist: Nebraska Mosaic - by Staff of Nebraska Mosaic, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Book Brigade helps Lindenwood start a new chapter - by Lindsey Fiala, Lindenwood University
Finalist: Exploring the abandoned Midwest - by Anne Matte and Nate Sohn, Drake University

Videography

Broadcast News Videography
Winner: Solar eclipse - by Ben Johnson and Jordan Davis, College of the Ozarks

Broadcast Feature Videography
Winner: Videography compilation - by Brody Kuhar, Loras College
Finalist: Raising the star - by Micah Redding and Cole Howerton, College of the Ozarks
Finalist: Fire support team - by Don Glunt, Caleb Brubaker, Daniel Labrot and Jacy Snider, College of the Ozarks

Online/Digital Feature Videography
Winner: We are human - by Whitney Matewe, University of Missouri
Finalist: Kickin’ it old school! New toy museum to open with a fully functioning arcade - by Kaitlin Brothers, University of Central Missouri
Finalist: ‘Out of the Darkness’ walk to fight suicide: Erica Williams - by Kaitlin Brothers, University of Central Missouri

SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund, or give to the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation.

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