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 WritingStaff, 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 CartooningYvette 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 WritingSamantha Xanthos, The State Press
Arizona State University
Better to be outfitted in fatigues than apathy, and other columns
Sports Column WritingDustin Dopirck, Daily Collegian
The Pennsylvania State University
Columns
Spot News ReportingMichael 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 ReportingLisa 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 ReportingJennifer 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 WritingColin 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 WritingNathan 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 NewspaperStaff, 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 PhotographyJack 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 PhotographyAndrew Logan, The Daily Mississippian
University of Mississsippi
Go to hell Ole Miss
Feature PhotographyDaron 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 IllustrationBrandon 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 PhotographyChristine 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 ReportingAugust 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 FeatureKim 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 ReportingMatthew 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 ReportingBrian 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 NewscastNicole 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 ReportingTim 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 ReportingMatt 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 FeatureJenny 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 ReportingAmanda 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 ReportingMarshall 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 PhotographyCarolyn 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 PhotographyStaff, 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 PhotographyStaff, 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 NewscastStaff, UTVS
Saint Cloud State University
Staff, TV-2 News
Kent State University
Staff, Maryland Newsline
University of Maryland
Television Non-Daily NewscastJane Choi
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Carolina Week
Staff, WKU Newschannel 12
Western Kentucky University
Online Spot News ReportingMichael Barnett & Mosheh Oinounou, The GW Hatchet
George Washington University
GW student shoots UMD student, kills self
Online General News ReportingFanen 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 ReportingJohn 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 ReportingFanen 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 ReportingNathan 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 CommentaryStaff, DatelineAlabama.com
University of Alabama
Bailey Thomson package
Emily Tannert, Drum Corps International Website
Northwestern University
Etude
Best All-Around Online Student NewspaperBrandon 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 MagazineJulie 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 StationTom Livingston, Krystal Tweeddale and Alex Brancard, Denver Cable Channel 54
Metropolitan State College of Denver
The Met Report
Best All-Around Independent Online Student PublicationStaff, DatelineAlabama.com
University of Alabama
Staff, Hard News Café
Utah State University
Staff, Extreme Alaska
University of Alaska-Fairbanks