CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, 317-920-4786, lharry@spj.org
Zoë Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 12 with 2021 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 12 comprises Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. 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 MediaFest22 convention in Washington, D.C., Oct. 27-30.

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 12 winners. If you have any questions regarding the MOE Awards, contact SPJ 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 cultural criticism, arts/fashion journalism and food/restaurant journalism.

Print/Online

Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Students protest LSU's handling of former French student accused of rape: 'Safe not silenced' — by Maddie Scott and Domenic Purdy, Louisiana State University
Finalist: UPDATED: Founder’s Walk interrupted by Dores Divest demonstration — by Charlotte Mauger and Rachael Perrotta, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Louisiana AG demands LSU punish professor for criticizing public official following Faculty Senate meeting — by Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana State University

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Slaughter in the Delta — by Abbi Ross, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Bankruptcy leaves Taylor Bend residents in limbo — by Cassie Morrison, University of Mississippi
Finalist: 'Outright, it's segregated': A look at Greek life on MSU's campus — by Hannah Blankenship, Mississippi State University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Loyola Law Clinic sues for protection of juveniles — by Ava Acharya, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Jesuits’ plan for reparations met with mixed reactions — by Domonique Tolliver, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Uptown home expansions impact community — by Jacqueline Galli, Loyola University New Orleans

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Louisiana residents face climate crisis — by Joe Rizzo, Joey Bullard and Michael Sanders, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Segregated cemeteries — by Allison Kadlubar, Bailee Hoggatt, Ezekiel Robinson and Jordanne Davis, Louisiana State University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: Marijuana charges hold past offenders back from future opportunities — by Artie Bennett and Jabez Berniard, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Activists fight plastic plant’s entrance into St. James Parish — by Rae Walberg, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Tenure at Loyola declines as tenure-track hires decrease — by Gabriela Carballo, Loyola University New Orleans

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Out of hiding, into the Bible Belt — by Kari Adams, University of Arkansas

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: Mother and son walk together at Loyola’s graduation — by Madeline Taliancich, Loyola University New Orleans

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: Under Brian Kelly, LSU expects multiple championships: 'He's here to sustain it' — by Reed Darcey, Louisiana State University
Finalist: How advanced analytics are fueling the VandyBoys behind the scenes — by Jaime Peréz, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Collis Temple Jr. helped integrate LSU athletics 50 years ago — by Peter Rauterkus, Louisiana State University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: Cheer and dance communities remember the late Rickey Hill — by Brendan Heffernan, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Before the ring: Night of Champions — by Joshua Olufelo, Lee University
Finalist: Former dance team member joins Pelicans Hype Team — by Jabez Berniard, Loyola University New Orleans

Editorial Writing
Winner: Maroon editorials — by Artie Bennett and Daniel Schwalm, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Reveille editorials — by the Editorial Board, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Vanderbuilt Hustler editorials — by Alexa White, Vanderbilt University

General Column Writing
Winner: Title IX enforcement — by Claire Sullivan, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Renaming LSU buildings — by Charlie Stephens, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Op-ed columns — by Londyn Lorenz, University of Mississippi

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Peter Rauterkus, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Commodore brunch — by Justin Hershey, Vanderbilt University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: Arkansas Traveler — by staff, University of Arkansas
Finalist: The Daily Mississippian — by staff, University of Mississippi
Finalist: Reveille | LSUReveille.com — by staff, Louisiana State University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: The Maroon — by Rose Wagner, Gabriela Carballo, Loyola University New Orleans

Best Student Magazine
Winner: Hill Magazine — by staff, University of Arkansas

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Maroon Online — by staff, Loyola University New Orleans

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Confrontation — by HG Biggs, University of Mississippi

General News Photography
Winner: Snow day — by HG Biggs, University of Mississippi

Feature Photography
Winner: Pilgrimage Festival — by Hannah Cron, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Portrait of ‘Meat,’ the tattoo artist — by Adam Sullivan , Mississippi State University

Photo Illustration
Winner: Don't throw your masks away — by Grace Powell, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Scholarships shouldn't stagnate — by Hannah Renton, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Opiod cases on the rise — by Hannah Renton, Loyola University New Orleans

Sports Photography
Winner: Jump — by HG Biggs, University of Mississippi
Finalist: Football photo — by Mattigan Kelly, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Rushing for a first down — by HG Biggs, University of Mississippi

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Cartoons — by McKenna Greenleaf-Faulk, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Cartoons — by Celina Watkins, Loyola University New Orleans

Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: Dove Awards — by Lumination Network staff, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Loyno confessions builds community during COVID — by Artie Bennett, Loyola University New Orleans

Broadcast/Online News Videography
Winner: Medline groundbreaking — by Taylor Nettle, Southeastern Louisiana University
Finalist: Causeway improvements — by Jordan Kliebert, Southeastern Louisiana University

Broadcast/Online Feature Videography
Winner: Southeastern Vertebrate Museum — by Alexis Genovese, Southeastern Louisiana University
Finalist: Litter gitter — by Brian Williams, Southeastern Louisiana University

Broadcast/Online Sports Videography
Winner: Southeastern vs. Northwestern State football — by Jermaine Kelly, Southeastern Louisiana University

Data Visualization
Winner: VSG Senate pass/fail survey results — by Emery Little, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Waste, human trafficking in Arkansas — by Lilli Martin, University of Arkansas
Finalist: The SAT by the numbers — by Emery Little, Vanderbilt University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: For a better life — by Wendy Echeverria, University of Arkansas
Finalist: COVID transitions — by Ethan Fostera, Mississippi State University
Finalist: Telehealth in Mississippi — by Brendan Galbraith, University of Mississippi

Radio Feature
Winner: Nashville Dog Day festival — by Sam Phalen, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Maroon Volunteer Center — by Jada Evans, Mississippi State University
Finalist: Gabriel Watkins congressional intern — by Sierra Vanderhorst, Louisiana State University

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: A performers heart: Metri Lyons — by Ethan Foster, Mississippi State University

Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Lumination Radio newscast — by staff, Lipscomb University
Finalist: WMSV News Update — by staff, Mississippi State University
Finalist: Rebel Radio Newscast — by staff, University of Mississippi

Podcast
Winner: College Voices — by staff, Vanderbilt University
Finalist: Mysteries of Music City — by staff, Lipscomb University
Finalist: Tiger Talk — by staff, Louisiana State University

Broadcast

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Local HS tackles concussions — by Jacob Cheatwood, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Boutique owner fights back — by Marissa Galatas, Louisiana State University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Baton Rouge Gym strengthens mental health — by Ally Kadlubar, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Litter gitter — by Lauren Hawkins, Southeastern Louisiana University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Transgender bills could hurt tourism — by Brooke Smith, Louisiana State University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Swimming siblings — by Kendall Duncan, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Morgan Carrier — by Carson Fryou, Southeastern Louisiana University

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: Tiger TV Newsbeat — by staff, Louisiana State University
Finalist: Northshore News — by staff, Southeastern Louisiana University
Finalist: Take 30 — by staff, Mississippi State University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Hotty Toddy News — by staff, University of Mississippi
Finalist: Sports Extra — by Lumination Network staff, Lipscomb University

All Platforms

Collaborative Journalism
Winner: Covid reportage in Arkansas — by Mary Hennigan, Abby Zimmardi and Rachell Sanchez-Smith, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Printing hate — by Mary Hennigan, University of Arkansas

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Movie reviews — by Ver Lumod, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: Reviews and previews — by Hannah Cron, Lipscomb University

Arts/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Fashion reporting — by Lilli Martin, University of Arkansas
Finalist: Loyola a la Mode creates a space for fashion savvy students — by Alan Dieu, Gabrielle Korein, Loyola University New Orleans
Finalist: A few years ago, GoldenGate was writing fan mail to Steve Aoki — now, he’s opening for him — by Samuel Hyland, Vanderbilt University

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: Composting initiative at University cafeteria — by Abby Davis, Lipscomb University

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 SPJ Foundation.

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