Contact: Gail Kiles, Assistant Programs Director, (317) 927-8000 ext.204, gkiles@spj.org
Julie Grimes, Deputy Executive Director, (317) 927-8000 ext.216, jgrimes@spj.org

The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the national finalists for the 2003 Mark of Excellence awards.

This year, undergraduate students submitted more than 3,200 entries in the Mark of Excellence contest. The national finalists’ entries represent the work of top student journalists from across the country.

These finalists have already received recognition at the regional level, and will receive national honors at SPJ’s national convention in New York City, September 9-11. Winners will be announced and all finalists will be recognized at the convention Mark of Excellence luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 11. For more information about the convention, contact SPJ at spj@spj.org.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. SPJ is dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, and based in Indianapolis, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed public, works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists, and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.

THE 2003 MARK OF EXCELLENCE NATIONAL FINALISTS ARE (IN RANDOM ORDER):

Editorial Writing
Staff, The State Press
Arizona State University
FERPA shields students from real world

Elyse Ashburn
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Editorial Board, The Lantern
Ohio State University
Progress, Freedom Fries & Cases of Confusion

Editorial Cartooning
Yvette Piette, The Daily Cardinal
University of Wisconsin-Madison
The Constitution doesn't apply…

Dusty Higgins, The Arkansas Traveler
University of Arkansas

Deana Sobel, The Daily Californian
University of California, Berkeley
High quality cartoons about obesity, the Iraq war and California's budget

General Column Writing
Samantha Xanthos, The State Press
Arizona State University
Better to be outfitted in fatigues than apathy, and other columns

Sports Column Writing
Dustin Dopirck, Daily Collegian
The Pennsylvania State University
Columns

Spot News Reporting
Michael Barnett & Mosheh Oinounou, The GW Hatchet
George Washington University
Shooting Pieces

Staff, Daily Collegian
The Pennsylvania State University
Student dies in confrontation downtown

Lola Thelin
Loyola University
Knoth Resigns

General News Reporting
Lisa Humes-Schultz, Emma Schwartz & My-Thuan Tran, The Daily Californian
University of California-Berkeley
Proposition 54 Campaign breaks UC spending codes

Staff, The Minnesota Daily
University of Minnesota
Ashes, tears and questions

In-Depth Reporting
Jennifer Novotny, The Meadville Tribune
Ohio University
Cancer in Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Jonathan York & Wes Ferguson, The Daily Texan
University of Texas-Austin
Through UT's Back Door

Staff
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Cuba: An Elusive Truth

Feature Writing
Colin McDonald, The Missoulian
Western Washington University
Rail Life

Johanna Maska, The University Daily Kansan
University of Kansas
A Life in Transition

Margaret Shreve, The Chicago Reader
Northwestern University
Lisa's Legacy

Sports Writing
Nathan Max, The Baltimore Sun
Northwestern University
Abiamiri moves on, moves up for Irish

Bruce Tran, The UCLA Daily Bruin
University of California-Los Angeles
Riding it Out

Natalie Storey, Montana Kaimin
University of Montana
Talking it up

Best All-Around Daily Newspaper (4-5 times per week)
Staff, Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University

Staff, The Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Staff, The Daily Collegian
The Pennsylvania State University

Best All-Around Daily Newspaper (2-3 times per week)
Staff, The Hatchet
George Washington University

Staff, Sidelines
Middle Tennessee State University

Staff, Central Florida Future
University of Central Florida

Best All-Around Non-Daily Newspaper
Staff, The Chart
Missouri Southern State University

Non-Fiction ArticleJordan Carleo-Evangelist, Vision Magazine
Boston University
The Press and Enron

Best Student Magazine (published once a year)
Staff, Renegade
University of Texas-Arlington

Best Student Magazine (published more than once a year)
Staff, The Burr
Kent State University

Junko Hamaguchi, Echo
Columbia College
Lost in Translation

Spot News Photography
Jack Bland, Golden Gate [X]Press
San Francisco State University
Spraying the Camera Man

Josh McCoy, College Heights Herald
Western Kentucky University
Two Students Hit on University

General News Photography
Andrew Logan, The Daily Mississippian
University of Mississsippi
Go to hell Ole Miss

Feature Photography
Daron Dean, The Gainesville Sun
University of Florida
Hanna's Story

Amy Ellis, The Lumberjack
Northern Arizona University
Love proves Stronger than Death

Michael Kane, The Daily Texan
University of Texas-Austin
Senate Passes Map

Photo Illustration
Brandon Wade & David Ortez, The Shorthorn
University of Texas-Arlington
Mavericks Reloaded

Ken Michelson, The Daily
University of Washington
Delivering Khaelen

Matt Garcia, The State Press Magazine
Arizona State University
Hollywood Highway

Sports Photography
Christine Weremy, Marquette Tribune
Marquette University
Panthers halt Eagles' offensive

Derek Lippincott, Daily Nebraskan
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Texas Game Photos

Brandon Wade, The Shorthorn
University of Texas-Arlington
Volleyball Team Drops

Radio Spot News Reporting
August Skamenca, KBIA 91.3 FM
University of Missouri
Brazito Tornado

Matt Horstman, WWHR
Western Kentucky University
Tuition

Adam Geller, WCHL 1360 AM
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
School Board

Radio Feature
Kim Hannold, PSU: ComRadio
The Pennsylvania State University
Black Caucus Rally

Josh St. Peters,
University of Illinois
Greyhound Adoption

Dylan Field,
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Drag Bingo

Radio In-Depth Reporting
Matthew Workman, KCSN Northridge
California State University-Northridge
Immigration Processing Delays

Justin Terry, NPR News 91
Boise State University
The New Freedom Riders

Kyle Palmer, KBIA 91.3 FM
University of Missouri
Deals in Higher Education

Radio Sports Reporting
Brian Kern, Wesley Anderson, Brian Gustin & Theodore Tutson, WGRE 91.5 FM
DePauw University
Monon Bell Pre-game

Andrew Demetra, WAER 88.3 FM
Syracuse University
From Sudan to Syracuse

Daniel Crochet, KRVS FM
University of Louisiana
Homegrown Football Talent

Radio Daily Newscast
Nicole Pence & Brian Kern, WGRE 91.5 FM
DePauw University
WGRE News and Sports

Staff, WERS 88.9 FM
Emerson College
The WERS News

Staff, WRUF
University of Florida
Front Page on the Air

Television Spot News Reporting
Tim Hagerty & Pat Driscoll, News 7
Lyndon State College
An Unlikely Fire

Beth Shayne, KELO-TV
Northwestern University
Centerville Flooding

Kasey Gardner, Maryland Newsline
University of Maryland
Norris Indictment

Television General News Reporting
Matt Marble & Dominick Scalise, Channel 36
Truman State University
Dukum Inn Concert Danger

Dana Hackett
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Roxane Assaf, WYCC-TV
Northwestern University
Illegal Carlos

Television Feature
Jenny McLendon
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Drag Bingo

Jessica Abo, WYCC-TV
Northwestern University
Wrongfully Convicted

Farnaz Javid & Carlos Torres, WPB-TV 79
University of Florida
Andy's Story

Television In-Depth Reporting
Amanda Iler
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Staff, WYCC-TV
Northwestern University
America's Military: Changing Roles, Changing Rules

Senior Class, KUFM-Montana PBS
University of Montana
Settling the Tab on Montana's Alcohol Culture

Television Sports Reporting
Marshall Lee & Lynn Beedle, Our American Journey
Norwich University
The Road Back to the Frozen Four

Gina Ross, KVR News 9
University of Texas-Austin
Class of Her Own

John Kasper & Heidi Fehring, Campus Scope/STTV
University of St. Thomas
Ultimate Frisbee

Television News Photography
Carolyn Wiedel, UMTV
University of Maryland
Vets Return

Michael Sternoff, KECI-NBC Montana
University of Montana
International Thanksgiving

Cathy Kadaras, STN Channel 2 News
University of Hartford
Campus Floods

Television Feature Photography
Staff, Our American Journey
Norwich University
High School

Ashley Terry, KUFM-Montana PBS
University of Montana
Small Town Montana: Hobson

Tiffany Francis
University of Maryland
Salvation Army

Television Sports Photography
Staff, Our American Journey
Norwich University
The Road Back to the Frozen Four

Dustin Stover, WTBU
Butler University
Women's Golf

John Huddleston, WVUA-TV
University of Alabama
Tennis

Television Daily Newscast
Staff, UTVS
Saint Cloud State University

Staff, TV-2 News
Kent State University

Staff, Maryland Newsline
University of Maryland

Television Non-Daily Newscast
Jane Choi
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Carolina Week

Staff, WKU Newschannel 12
Western Kentucky University

Online Spot News Reporting
Michael Barnett & Mosheh Oinounou, The GW Hatchet
George Washington University
GW student shoots UMD student, kills self

Online General News Reporting
Fanen Chiahemen, Stephen Mather, Amanda Karr & Nikole Albowicz
Maryland Newsline
University of Maryland
AIDS: Dealing with an Epidemic

Seth Porges
Northwestern University
Press Underreports Wounded in Iraq

Becky Evans
Boston University
Mercury Poisoning: Fishing for Answers

Online Feature Reporting
John Arbucci
Columbia University
The Intimate Strangers Who Care for Our Dead

Sarah Schaffer & Adam Newman, Capital News Service
University of Maryland
A Second Chance

Kim Cross
University of Alabama
The Blues Man

Online In-Depth Reporting
Fanen Chiahemen, Stephen Mather & Nikole Albowicz, Capital News Service
University of Maryland
Legalizing Slots

Staff, DatelineAlabama.com
University of Alabama
Opening Doors, Opening Minds

Tom DeLaune & Curt Merrill, Extreme Alaska
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
A Chilling Effect? Alaska's Heartland Reacts to the Patriot Act

Online Sports Reporting
Nathan Max, Medill News Service on the Web
Northwestern University
Chicago hockey fans rebelling against NHL ticket prices

Iditarod Coverage Team, Extreme Alaska
University of Alaska-Fairbanks
Iditarod Fairbanks

Brad Kane, Matt Duval, Elizabeth Nihiser & Zach Wittig, The Lanternonline.com
Ohio State University
Glory: the best damn team in the land

Online Opinion and Commentary
Staff, DatelineAlabama.com
University of Alabama
Bailey Thomson package

Emily Tannert, Drum Corps International Website
Northwestern University
Etude

Best All-Around Online Student Newspaper
Brandon Aaron & Josh Taylor, TheShorthorn.com
University of Texas-Arlington

Staff, The Digital Collegian
The Pennsylvania State University

Staff, Campus Echo
North Carolina Central University

Best All-Around Online Student Magazine
Julie Collins & Andrea Schmidt, Drake Mag Online
Drake University

Lendsay Renick Mayer, Allison Sawyer & Juliet Sokol, Curb
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Leslie Stroope, Rami Daud & Jeff Baker, The Cy Burr
Kent State University

Best All-Around Online Student Broadcast Station
Tom Livingston, Krystal Tweeddale and Alex Brancard, Denver Cable Channel 54
Metropolitan State College of Denver
The Met Report

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
Staff, DatelineAlabama.com
University of Alabama

Staff, Hard News Café
Utah State University

Staff, Extreme Alaska
University of Alaska-Fairbanks