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

INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists recognizes the best collegiate journalism in Region 5 with 2023 Mark of Excellence Awards winners.

SPJ’s Region 5 comprises Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. 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.

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 5 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: IU denied its room reservation. The Palestine Solidarity Committee hosted its event anyway — by Salome Cloteaux, Marissa Meador, Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Finalist: Daily Northwestern football hazing investigation — by Nicole Markus, Alyce Brown, Cole Reynolds, Divya Bhardwaj, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Northwestern Prison Education Program celebrates inaugural commencement — by Nora Collins, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University

Breaking News Reporting (Small)
Winner: Indiana Supreme Court rejects lawsuit, allowing abortion ban to go into effect — by Jack Sells, TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College
Finalist: No 'neighs' for bill outlining rights of those using service dogs and horses — by Ashlyn Myers, TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College

General News Reporting (Large)
Winner: ‘The church's answer was hurting them’ — by Marissa Meador, Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University

General News Reporting (Small)
Winner: One of the worst nights of my life' — by Gabi Morando, The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Finalist: SAIC ends its only journalism department — by Ankit Khadgi, John W.Bateman, F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Finalist: My life has been about doors opening: A conversation with Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch — by Staff, TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College

In-Depth Reporting (Large)
Winner: Pharmacists think it's illegal to dispense abortion pills: Worrying Consequences — by Hannah Zhihan Jiang, Health-e News, Northwestern University
Finalist: As kids, they underwent a common test for UTIs. As adults, it haunts them as a traumatic ‘nightmare’ — by Max Bennett, STAT News, Northwestern University

In-Depth Reporting (Small)
Winner: In Marion and Johnson counties, different approaches to the common problem of public transit — by Isaac Gleitz, TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College

Feature Writing (Large)
Winner: The brain behind the 'zom-com' — by Jenna Anderson, North By Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: The fitness journey — by Jimmy He, North by Northwestern, Northwestern University

Feature Writing (Small)
Winner: An audition for sympathy — by Marium Asif, F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Sports Writing (Large)
Winner: The hottest ticket in Atlanta: A look at Georgia Tech volleyball’s home court — by Charlotte Varnes, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Northwestern University
Finalist: Northwestern cheerleaders allege unsafe conditions, unfair expectations — by Charlotte Varnes, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: The first season — by Marissa Meador, Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University

Sports Writing (Small)
Winner: When I play soccer, I feel 100% completely Talia — by Caleb Denorme, The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Finalist: UIndy alumna becomes Lacrosse coach — by Michael Harrington, The Reflector, University of Indianapolis

Editorial/Opinion Writing
Winner: Goodbye, goose; Your ‘freedom’ at the cost of ours; GBF: Gross, bigoted and false — by Aidan Gregg, The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Finalist: Opinion columns — by Jess Wilson, easternprogress.com, Eastern Kentucky University
Finalist: Opinion columns — by Sadia Khatri, The Butler Collegian, Butler University

General Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Ethan Wallace, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky

Sports Column Writing
Winner: Columns — by Ethan Segall, Inside NU, Northwestern University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large)
Winner: Indiana Daily Student — by Staff, Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Finalist: Kentucky Kernel — by Staff, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Small)
Winner: F Newsmagazine — by Staff, F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Best Ongoing Student Magazine
Winner: F Newsmagazine — by Staff, F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Finalist: KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion — by Staff, KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion, University of Kentucky
Finalist: NBN Magazine — by Staff, North By Northwestern, Northwestern University

Best Affiliated Web Site
Winner: kykernel.com — by Staff, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky
Finalist: Indiana Daily Student — by Staff, Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Finalist: The Reflector Online — by Staff, The Reflector, University of Indianapolis

Best Independent Online Student Publication
Winner: 14 East — by Staff, 14 East, DePaul University


Art/Graphics/Multimedia

Breaking News Photography
Winner: Kid LAROl greets fans — by Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky

General News Photography
Winner: Graduate fist up — by Rosemary Kelley, easternprogress.com, Eastern Kentucky University

Feature Photography
Winner: K-Week celebration — by Abbey Cutrer, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky

Photo Essay/Slideshow
Winner: Getting to know Ald. Krissie Harris — by Ethan Lachman, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University

Illustration
Winner: ‘We are suffering too much’: Maintenance technicians report overwork, retaliation from Northwestern — by Lily Ogburn, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Accommodations as creativity and advocacy — by Ketaki Kulkarni, F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Sports Photography
Winner: Men’s Soccer — by Abbey Cutrer, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky
Finalist: Northwestern’s dance comes to a close after losing 68-63 to UCLA — by Angeli Mittal, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Best Use of Multimedia
Winner: The Game of Voting, TSF edition — by Sydney Byerly, TheStatehouseFile.com, Franklin College

News Videography
Winner: Crowded waters: Invasive European frog-bit threatens Green Bay wildlife — by Seeger Gray, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Northwestern University
Finalist: More than 100,000 march in Washington in support of Palestinians in Gaza — by Angela Zhang, Medill News Service, Northwestern University

Feature Videography
Winner: The Chicago Minute: The team putting Chicago’s messages up in lights — by Anna Retzlaff, Emily Soto, Kiernan Sullivan, 14 East, DePaul University
Finalist: Julia Marshall, Northwestern first-year figure skater, carves up success on ice — by Alicia Tang, The Daily Northwestern or DailyNUVideo, Northwestern University
Finalist: Rep. Deluzio discusses threats to American democracy in exclusive interview — by Julian Andreone, Medill News Service, Northwestern University

Audio

Radio News Reporting
Winner: Champaign Police investigate ‘agency culture’ of not following domestic violence reporting laws — by Farrah Anderson, Christine Herman, Diane Leane, Illinois Public Media, Northwestern University
Finalist: CTA marks 10 years of Ventra with ‘L’ station celebration — by Brandon Kondritz, WNUR News, Northwestern University
Finalist: A look at Northwestern’s Graduate Student Union — by Sophia Casa, Grace Jordan-Weinstein, WNUR News, Northwestern University

Radio Feature
Winner: The day I ditched my devices — by Brandon Kondritz, WNUR News, Northwestern University
Finalist: Dream on: Northwestern men's basketball and the road to March Madness — by Allison Rauch, WNUR News, Northwestern University
Finalist: The loss of the Lower Hill — by Lance Wilhelm, SLB Radio Productions, Northwestern University

Podcast (Narrative)
Winner: For whom does the bell toll? — by Mika Ellison, WNUR News, Northwestern University

Podcast (Conversational)
Winner: We are not defined by our legislators — by Lily Shen, Flyover, Northwestern University


Broadcast

Television Breaking News Reporting
Winner: Northwestern University graduate workers rally — by Jeremy Fredricks, Lance Wilhelm, Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Finalist: Thousands rally for Israel on the National Mall — by Luis Castaneda, WEAU 13 News, Northwestern University

Television General News Reporting
Winner: Israelis protest judicial reforms, Palestinians weigh their stake — by Diego Ramos Bechara, Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Finalist: Locals support allowing undocumented workers to get driver's licenses — by Isabela Lisco, WJFW Newswatch 12, Northwestern University
Finalist: Plan to rebuild Ryan Field moves forward despite pushback from residents — by Logan Schiciano, Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University

Television Feature Reporting
Winner: From Guam to Capitol Hill: A congressman settles in — by Logan Schiciano, Medill News Service, Northwestern University

Television In-Depth Reporting
Winner: A Border and 10 years apart: Mixed-status families call for immigration reform — by Angela Zhang, Medill News Service, Northwestern University

Television Sports Reporting
Winner: DePaul men's basketball — by Caleb Nixon, Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Finalist: Horry County gymnastics coach placed on restriction — by Gabrielle Khoriaty, WMBF News, Northwestern University

Best All-Around Television Newscast
Winner: IU NewsNet — by Staff, IU NewsNet, Indiana University
Finalist: Good Day DePaul — by Staff, Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Finalist: Special Report: Evanston Clark Street beach shooting — by Staff, Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University


All Platform

Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism
Winner: Emily Ridings weaves her own story — by Rana Alsoufi, KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion, University of Kentucky
Finalist: The Hollywood Strike Explained! — by Diego Ramos Bechara, NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition, Northwestern University
Finalist: Chelsey Carter-Sanders: A sustainable fashion force — by Elizabeth Gregerson, 14 East, DePaul University

Campus Reporting
Winner: Who is Guardian Security? DePaul's contract security with a controversial history — by Alexandra Murphy, Juliana Pelaez, Kate Linderman, Lauren Sheperd, 14 East, DePaul University

Cultural Criticism
Winner: Columns — by Gray Greenwell, Kentucky Kernel, University of Kentucky
Finalist: Riot Grrrl isn't dead, it's reincarnated: A study in feminine rage — by Kelly Rappaport, North By Northwestern, Northwestern University

Investigative Reporting
Winner: Too far for too long' — by Alison Miccolis, Sarah Hohman, The Butler Collegian, Butler University

Regional Political Reporting
Winner: Gender-affirming healthcare policy in Indiana — by Bee Pilarz, The Butler Collegian, Butler University

Retail/Small Business Journalism
Winner: Local artisan gift shop brings Mexico to Chicago — by Raena Bents, 14 East, DePaul University

Science/Environment/Climate Reporting
Winner: A deep dive Into Chicago's climate inequality — by Gia Clarke, 14 East, DePaul 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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