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Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards winners announced
CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, 317-920-4786, lharry@spj.org
Zoλ Berg, SPJ Communications Specialist, 317-920-4785, zberg@spj.org
INDIANAPOLIS The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 8 with 2021 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.
SPJs Region 8 comprises Oklahoma and Texas. 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 8 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: How Julius Jones life was spared, years after conviction, hours before execution by Blake Douglas, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Four injured in school shooting by Taylor Coit and Cole Kembel, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Emergency officials investigate house fire near Texas State by Jaden Edison and Brianna Benitez, Texas State University
General News Reporting
Winner: Police called on Black students studying, socializing in Moody Library by Emily Cousins, Baylor Student Media
Finalist: OU open records access anything but 'prompt, reasonable' due to flaws, vagaries of state law by Blake Douglas, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Deadly disaster makes history by Alyson Oliver and Jose Romero, Tarrant County College
In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Tulsa Race Massacre centennial by The OU Daily staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: The Corona Chronicles by Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference website staff, University of North Texas
Finalist: Recovery in the Time of COVID by Sean Riedel, University of North Texas
Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: Does god hate": 2SLGBTQ+ individuals seek affirmation, face religious condemnation by Jillian Taylor, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: He risked his life as an interpreter for the US. Now Sam Al Helli is in the Navy Reserve by Adam Morey, Oklahoma State University
Finalist: Dignity in death: Anthropologists work to identify remains of migrants by Leanne Castro, Texas State University
Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: University veterans remember 9/11 attacks 20 years later by Daisy Gonzalez-Quezada, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: Astroworld attendee, student shares perspective on tragic night by Irma Saenz, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Sports Writing
Winner: Greg Young's rise to Maverick's head coach by Arianna Vedia, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Texas Skate Forever: Remembering the skate dad of San Marcos by Aidan Bea, Texas State University
Finalist: Caleb Williams, from BoomSquad to nail salon, is charismatic leader Sooners need for new era by Mason Young, University of Oklahoma
Editorial Writing
Winner: Editorials: Gamma, COVID-19 and masks by Camille Rasor, Ava Dunwoody, Baylor University
Finalist: Editorials by The University Star staff, Texas State University
Finalist: Editorials by Shorthorn Staff, University of Texas at Arlington
General Column Writing
Winner: Columns by Aaron Reff, Clarissa Martinez, Denise Treviρo, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: National hot-button issues by Emily Cousins, Baylor University
Finalist: The Devil is thin by Julia Fox, Southern Methodist University
Sports Column Writing
Winner: SMU Football: A season of high and lows, and a coach's fall from grace by Kevin Reynolds, Southern Methodist University
Finalist: Baylor, the Big 12, and a March Madness Cinderella by Harper Mayfield and Michael Haag, Baylor Student Media
Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper
Winner: The Shorthorn by staff, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: The OU Daily by staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: The Collegian by staff, Tarrant County College
Best Student Magazine
Winner: Crimson Quarterly by staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: SMU Look by staff, Southern Methodist University
Finalist: El Espejo magazine by staff, Southern Methodist University
Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: The Shorthorn by staff, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: The Collegian online by staff, Tarrant County College
Finalist: The University Star Online by staff, Texas State University
Art/Graphics/Multimedia
Breaking News Photography
Winner: Protestors gather outside Dallas Police headquarters by Nicholas Badeaux, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Emergency officials investigate house fire near Texas State by Jaden Edison, Texas State University
Finalist: Alumni fight giant factory fire by Logan Evans, Tarrant County College
General News Photography
Winner: Vaccine cringe by Elias Valverde II, University of Texas at Arlington
Feature Photography
Winner: Mud, sweat and cheers by Ward Sakeik, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Austin City Limits music festival by Natalie Ryan, Texas State University
Finalist: Bubble baseball by Elias Valverde II, University of Texas at Arlington
Photo Illustration
Winner: Trump's legacy garners mixed reaction by Elias Valverde II, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: A peek at post-pandemic dating by Nicholas Badeaux and Vivian Santillan, University of Texas at Arlington
Sports Photography
Winner: Big 12 Championship tackle by Josh Wilson, Baylor Student Media
Finalist: Bobcats vs. South Alabama by Vanessa Buentello, Texas State University
Finalist: Men celebrate conference championship by Riley Fisher, Abilene Christian University
Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Cartoons by Cristina del Coro Trio, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Cartoons by Amber Davis, Tarrant County College
Finalist: Taxes, minimum wage and world affairs by Morgan Dowler and Summer Merkle, Baylor University
Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: U.S. Secretary of Education talks ASPIRE network impact, helping students, teachers by Asiah Mendoza, Irma Saenz and Joshua Villagomez, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: Protests, arrests, tears, negotiations: Activism at Texas State leaves Black students with unhealed by The University Star staff, Texas State University
Finalist: Emergency officials investigate house fire near Texas State by Jaden Edison and Briana Benitez, Texas State University
Broadcast/Online Feature Videography
Winner: Texas becomes biggest U.S. state to lift pandemic mask mandate by Armando Villarreal III, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: Say it with your chest by Meredith Holser, University of North Texas
Data Visualization
Winner: UTA salary database by Camille Hill, University of Texas at Arlington
Audio
Radio Feature
Winner: COVID and teachers by Beth Wallis, University of Oklahoma
Podcast
Winner: Destination: Greenwood by Beth Wallis, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: The OU Daily by staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Through the Cracks: Unsolved Cases of Oklahoma by Lacee Mouser, University of Oklahoma
Broadcast
Television General News Reporting
Winner: Students lose home to winter storm by Sarah Gill, Baylor Student Media
Finalist: Destruction of 4th/5th Street bridge causes problems by Grace Smith, Baylor University
Finalist: US Gymnasts testify about sexual abuse by Larry Nasser by Zaria Oates, University of Oklahoma
Television Feature Reporting
Winner: Growing up Native by Katie Smith, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Book vending machine by Audrey Goodson, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Shelter pets by Avery John, University of Oklahoma
Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Chinese scholar controversy by Andrew Fancher, University of North Texas
Finalist: McGirt reshaping Oklahoma by Ralph Bernhardt, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Foster Care during a pandemic by Lauren Rangel and Ralph Bernhardt, Southern Methodist University
Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Under the jersey by Carson Racich, Lamar University
Finalist: Coach Venables comes home by Ben Thomas and Jared Thomas, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Chasing a feeling: How Baylor created an acro & tumbling dynasty by Nate Smith, Baylor Student Media
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: ntTV Nightly News by staff University of North Texas
Finalist: OU Nightly by staff, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Enlace by Univision Media Lab, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Lariat TV News Today by Staff, Baylor University
All platforms
Cultural Criticism
Winner: Columns by Emma Weidmann, Baylor University
Finalist: Columns by Gabrielle Tellez, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Arts/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Supporting Style by Allysann Jackson, Southern Methodist University
Finalist: Art exhibit seeks to usher conversations about race by Mario Ruiz, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: Locate it local: Tank's Pizza by Amanda Barela, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Video Game/Tabletop Game Reporting
Winner: UTA varsity Smash Bros. team wins first championship by Cole Kembel, University of Texas at Arlington
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