CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, 317-920-4786, lharry@spj.org
Ashlynn Neumeyer, SPJ Communications Coordinator, 317-361-4133, aneumeyer@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 9 with 2020 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 9 comprises Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. 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 SPJ’s national conference.

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 9 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact Manager of Publications and Awards Lou Harry by email or 317-920-4786.

This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries. New MOE categories were added this year for COVID-19 and video game reporting.

Newspapers

Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Shots fired as Black Lives Matter and Back the Blue collide in Provo - by Lisi Merkley, Brigham Young University
Finalist: WSU suspends classes - by Jennifer Greenlee, Weber State University
Finalist: Former BYU professor charged with sexually abusing a student - by Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University

General News Reporting
Winner: The intersection of politics and religion - by Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University
Finalist: A look at the opioid epidemic in Utah and across America - by Lauren Lethbridge, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Virtual worship: A blessing in disguise? - by Karcin Harris, Utah State University

In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Racism continues to surface in the LDS Church and at BYU - by Lisi Merkley, Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University
Finalist: 3 murders, 1 gun - by Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Former convicts find themselves punished through Utah housing programs - by Bethany West, Weber State University

Feature Writing
Winner: Transgender awareness - by Staff, Colorado State University
Finalist: Gallons of tradition - by Alek Nelson, Utah State University
Finalist: Digital dating: Love, lust and leisure at your fingertips - by Francisco Ruiz, Weber State University

Sports Writing
Winner: Cosmo: An oral history of the viral dance - by Elisa Huhem, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Should I stay or should I go? - by Paul Swenson, Chelsea Adams, Brigham Young University
Finalist: CSU athletics department investigated over ethical concerns - by Scott Nies, Colorado State University

Editorial Writing
Winner: Editorial writing - by Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Pandemic accountability and history - by Taelor Candiloro, Utah State University
Finalist: Jennifer Greenlee - by Jennifer Greenlee, Weber State University

General Column Writing
Winner: Columns by Cody Cooke - by Cody Cooke, Colorado State University
Finalist: Kierstynn King - by Kierstynn King, Weber State University
Finalist: Daryn Steed - by Daryn Steed, Weber State University

Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large) 10,000+ Students
Winner: Best of the Collegian - by Staff, Colorado State University
Finalist: The Daily Universe - by Staff, Brigham Young University
Finalist: The Signpost - by Staff, Weber State University

Magazines

Non-Fiction Magazine Article
Winner: CSU’s Black Lives Matter mural: The symbolism behind the installation - by Cecilia Apodaca, Colorado State University

Best Student Magazine
Winner: Metrosphere - by Julia Nguyen, Anniston Craddock, Olivia Ruffe, Parker Wiese, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Finalist: Talon Magazine - by Jenna Duke, Zada Herrera, Community College of Denver

Art/Graphics

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Winds close WSU campus - by BriElle Harker, Weber State University
Finalist: Demanding justice for the fallen - by Francia Henriquez Benson, Weber State University

General News Photography
Winner: Hugging with hope - by Lucy Morantz, Colorado State University
Finalist: Disability and snow - by Nicole Dorber, Weber State University
Finalist: How COVID has affected vulnerable populations - by Juana Rocha, Arapahoe Community College

Feature Photography
Winner: Wild horses - by Nicole Dorber, Weber State University
Finalist: Hoodoos - by Israel Campa, Weber State University
Finalist: A night and day at Lucky Joe’s Sidewalk Saloon amid COVID-19 - by Lucy Morantz, Colorado State University

Photo Illustration
Winner: Basketball season preview - by David Onwukeme, University of Utah
Finalist: Arts desk favorites by Piper Armstrong - by Piper Armstrong, University of Utah
Finalist: Sundance preview - by Sydney Stam, University of Utah

Sports Photography
Winner: Wildcats rain on Thunderbirds - by Israel Campa, Weber State University

Data Visualization
Winner: Colorado’s 2020 election explained in 9 graphs - by Sam Ye, Colorado State University
Finalist: Americans who say they are Christian - by Aubree Eckhardt, Weber State University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Comics by Ryan Greene - by Ryan Greene, Colorado State University
Finalist: Keith Wilson editorial cartoons - by Keith Wilson, Utah State University
Finalist: Cartoon illustrations by Scotty Powell - by Scotty Powell, Colorado State University

Radio

Radio Feature
Winner: COVID-19 versus my family - by Rachel Cody, University of Colorado, Boulder

Television

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Sewer back up into homes - by Eric Price, Utah State University
Finalist: VP debate protests - by Ashley Ward, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Wastewater COVID-19 testing shows increasing levels in Provo, Salt Lake City - by Joseph Carson, Brigham Young University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: The chosen - by Joseph Carson, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Fish doctors at work - by Eric Price, Utah State University
Finalist: Utah's Hindu community celebrates the colors of Holi - by Cassidy McKinney, Brigham Young University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: A heart of a champion and the mind of a (ninja) warrior - by Sydney Wicker, Colorado State University
Finalist: Refs react - by Adam Larson, Utah State University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Cache Rendezvous holiday edition - by Staff, Utah State University

Online

Online News Reporting
Winner: George Floyd protest coverage - by Serena Bettis, Laura Studley, Colorado State University
Finalist: Reading through racism: CSU’s new program responds to BLM movement - by Grace Cooper, Colorado State University
Finalist: How Covid is affecting vulnerable populations - by Juana Rocha, Arapahoe Community College

Online Feature Reporting
Winner: The Candy Man can - by Kailey Pickering, Colorado State University
Finalist: Pay as you can -- The remarkable genius behind the generosity - by Donna DeBacco, Arapahoe Community College
Finalist: Colorado fires hit too close to home: A look at 3 student experiences - by Aspen Flores, Colorado State University

Online In-Depth Reporting
Winner: The Red Flag Law as a means of suicide prevention - by Anna Dunn, Colorado State University
Finalist: Campus in contention: Rhetoric doesn’t have to harm - by Lauryn Bolz, Abby Vander Graaff, Colorado State University
Finalist: Operating on a spectrum for success - by Lucas Miller, Arapahoe Community College

Online Sports Reporting
Winner: Cosmo: An oral history of the viral dance - by Sarah Houssian, Brigham Young University

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Three murders, one gun - by Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University
Finalist: A Day in the life: Contact tracing - by Keith Wilson, Utah State University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Daily Universe - by Lisi Merkley, Sydnee Gonzalez, Brigham Young University

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: The Arapahoe Pinnacle - by Staff, Arapahoe Community College

Videography

Broadcast News Videography
Winner: Sledding - by Brandon Dean, Utah State University
Finalist: Shots fired as Black Lives Matter and Back the Blue collide in Provo - by Lisi Merkley, Brigham Young University

Online/Digital News Videography
Winner: New title IX regulations: Helpful or harmful? - by Grace Ganz, University of Denver
Finalist: Graduating class 2020 - by Kiera O'Neill, University of Denver
Finalist: Thank you teachers! - by Kiera O'Neill, University of Denver

Video Game Reporting

Video Game Reporting
Winner: Gamers ditch discs - by Kaden Anderson, Utah State University
Finalist: CSU’s Counter-Strike Green Team play as competitors and friends - by Austin Fleskes, Colorado State University

Podcasts

Podcast
Winner: Newsline Review - by Daniel Andersen, Brigham Young University

All Platforms

Collaborative Journalism
Winner: Border War rivals - by Staff, Colorado State University

COVID-19

COVID-19: Newspaper, Magazine and Online Coverage
Winner: Parents flaunt masks at school board meeting - by Lesya Feinstein, Utah State University
Finalist: Nostalgia at risk: How COVID-19 has affected local roller rink Rollerland - by Anna Dunn, Colorado State University
Finalist: A Pentax photographs a pandemic - by Jenna Duke, Community College of Denver

COVID-19: Digital (Still) Photography
Winner: Frame by frame: Freshman life during COVID-19 - by Emily Seale, Ciara Sackett, Colorado State University
Finalist: Explaining things - by Lucy Morantz, Colorado State University
Finalist: Local massage therapist provides healing for caregivers - by Anna von Pechmann, Colorado State University

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