CONTACT:
Lou Harry, SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards, lharry@spj.org
Kimberly Tsuyuki, SPJ Communications Coordinator, ktsuyuki@hq.spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 8 with 2022 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 8 comprises Oklahoma and Texas. First-place winners will compete at the national level among other MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the SPJ’s 2023 convention in Las Vegas, Sept. 28-30.

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.

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

Print/Online

Breaking News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Students protest anti-transgender speaker — by Dang Le, Jonathan Perriello, Juan Salinas II and Orlando Torres, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Students stage protest against student government — by Mandy Huynh and Angelica Perez, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: False report of active shooter puts Waco High School on lockdown — by Ana Ruiz Brictson, Matt Kyle and Rachel Royster, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: University rebuffs SGA resolution regarding student handbook change — by Sydney Varner, The Optimist, Abilene Christian University
Finalist: Fire in CAB lab classroom, building evacuated — by Joel Guerrero, Isaac Dobresnski and Noel Perez, The Mesquite, Texas A&M University-San Antonio

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: Chancellor leaves college after lawsuit — by Jose Romero, The Collegian, Tarrant County College

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Live robbed — by Miranda Rodriguez and Sarah Cervera, El Espejo magazine, Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Feature Writing
Winner: Eddie Bernice Johnson fears a rollback in the civil rights she fought decades to advance — by Andrew Zhang, Texas Tribune, University of Texas at Austin

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: Locked and loaded for bowl game — by Michael Haag, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University
Finalist: Behind the bridle — by Simone Melvin, The Daily Campus, SMU
Finalist: Arlington mourns baseball legend — by Jonathan Perriello, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: REC sports: Commitment and legacy — by Matthew Lopez, The Mesquite, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: Wildcats’ tourney dreams dashed in first-round exit against UTRGV — by Carrie Johnston, The Optimist, Abilene Christian University

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Editorials — by editorial board, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University
Finalist: Editorials — by staff, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Editorials — by Sydney Varner and Sheridan Wood, The Optimist, Abilene Christian University

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Sports Columns — by Joe Pratt, Pierson Luscy and George Schroeder, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: The Collegian — by staff, The Collegian, Tarrant County College
Finalist: The Baylor Lariat — by staff, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

Best Student Magazine
Winner: El Espejo Magazine — by staff, El Espejo Magazine, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: SMU Look — by staff, SMU Look, Southern Methodist University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: TheShorthorn.com — by staff, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: UniversityStar.com — by staff, The University Star, Texas State University
Finalist: Baylorlariat.com — by staff, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: "No photo" — by Christine Vo, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

General News Photography
Winner: Medal of Honor — by Nicholas Badeaux, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Feature Photography
Winner: Hallie Anderson closes her eyes during a hymn — by Meghan Long, The Optimist, Abilene Christian University
Finalist: Ring fling — by Ronaldo Bolanos, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Goat grooming — by Marilyn Schoneboom, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: Slideshow: Poteet Strawberry Festival returns for 75th anniversary — by Amber Esparza, The Mesquite, Texas A&M University-San Antonio
Finalist: Maxed Out — by Ella McDonald, SMU Look, Southern Methodist University
Finalist: National Medal of Honor Museum breaks ground — by Nicholas Badeaux, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Illustration
Winner: Black directors — by Cristina Del Coro Trio, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Sports Photography
Winner: Bonner's contested layup — by Ken Prabhakar, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University
Finalist: Tearful victory — by Nicholas Badeaux, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Coach T.J. Johnson strategizes — by Vanessa Buentello, The University Star, Texas State University

Editorial Cartooning
Winner: Cartoons — by Claudia Humphrey, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington
Finalist: Dos and don'ts of 2022 — by Gwen Ueding, The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University

Feature Videography
Winner: NFL athlete, SMU alumnus unveils collection, conversation about Black Art — by Jillian Taylor, The Daily Campus, Southern Methodist University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: San Antonio trees — by Sheridan Wood, KACU, Abilene Christian University

Radio Feature
Winner: Monarch butterflies migration — by Sheridan Wood, KACU, Abilene Christian University
Finalist: Preserve Native American history — by Sheridan Wood, KACU, Abilene Christian University

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Ecology aftermath of widespread wildfires — by Sheridan Wood, KACU, Abilene Christian University

Podcast (Conversational)
Winner: Pony out: An SMU transfer story — by Simone Melvin, The Daily Campus, Southern Methodist University
Finalist: The Feminist Kaleidoscope — by Lily Celeste Reimherr Buckert and Clarissa Martinez, Enlace Media Lab, Texas A&M University-San Antonio

Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: OU fan arrested at Bedlam — by Cameron Joiner, OU Nightly, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: False report of active shooter puts Waco High School on lockdown — by Danika Young, Lariat TV News, Baylor University

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Fentanyl test strips — by Cameron Joiner, OU Nightly, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Sprockets closes its doors — by Chandler Jackson, DCTV, University of North Texas
Finalist: Exploring wetlands — by Patrick Scott, LUTV News, Lamar University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: El Peso hero — by April Pierdant, DCTV, University of North Texas
Finalist: Baylor senior on track for graduation despite battle with cancer — by Kaity Kempf, Lariat TV News, Baylor University
Finalist: ACUTV Spotlight: Kevin Campbell — by Emily Shafer, ACUTV, Abilene Christian University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Crypto's final frontier — by Austin Hedgecoth, DCTV, University of North Texas

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: Mr. OU — by Dacoda McDowell-Wahpekeche, Gameday U, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Castle, check, checkmate — by Gabriel Poarch, LUTV News, Lamar University
Finalist: WAC championships — by Carrie Johnston, Connor Mullins and Nathaniel Chisholm, ACUTV/The Optimist, Abilene Christian University

Best All-Around Television News Magazine
Winner: Gameday U — by staff, Gameday U, University of Oklahoma
Finalist: Lariat TV News Today — by staff, Lariat TV News, Baylor University

All Platform

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Arts features — by Dang Le, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

Food/Restaurant Journalism
Winner: From scratch — by staff, The Shorthorn, University of Texas at Arlington

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