CONTACT:
Heather Porter, Programs Director, 317-927-8000 ext. 204, hporter@spj.org

Beth King, Communications Manager, 317-927-8000 ext. 211, bking@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 11 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2005 calendar year. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,100 entries in 43 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on April at the Region 11 Conference held at the Pasadena Hilton in Pasadena, Calif. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging which takes place in early April. Winners will be announced in mid May.

For additional information on the Mark of Excellence Awards, please contact Heather Porter at 317-927-8000 ext. 204 or hporter@spj.org.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.

2005 Region 11 Winners:

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Amina Khan, University of California-Berkeley, “Editorials”
• Second Place: Stephanie Teague, California State University-Chico, “Editorials”
• Third Place: Aaron Mackey, University of Arizona, “Editorials”

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Jennifer Allen & Nathan Sosa, “University of Nevada-Las Vegas, “The Rebel Yell Editorial Cartoons #2”
• Second Place: Jennifer Allen & Nathan Sosa, “University of Nevada-Las Vegas, “The Rebel Yell Editorial Cartoons #1”
• Third Place: Gabriel Orendain-Necochea, Southwestern College, “Ice Cream Truck”

General Column Writing
• First Place: Tracey Franks, Arizona State University, “General Column Collection”
• Second Place: Nathan Sosa, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, “General Column Collection”
• Third Place: Lori Foley, University of Arizona, “General Column Collection”

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Andrew Finley, University of California-Los Angeles, “Sports Column Collection”
• Second Place: Jeff Dempsey, Northern Arizona University, “The Chopping Block”
• Third Place: Shane Bacon, University of Arizona, “Sports Column Collection”

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Shaun Bishop, University of California-Los Angeles, “Leak poses health risk”
• Second Place: Richard Clough, Kunal Mehta, Sarah Winter & Nancy Su, University of California-Los Angeles, “California Special Elections”
• Third Place: Tiffany Hsu, University of California-Berkeley, “Disqualified ASUC Presidential Candidate”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Erika Wurst, Arizona State University, “Education and Jobs”
• Second Place: Sarah Muench, Arizona State University, “Mexican culture holds on for dear life”
• Third Place: Sheilah Dasher, Southwestern College, “Sacred mountain”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Chris Collins, Whitworth College, “Controversy Next Door”
• Second Place: Ryan Kost, Arizona State University, “University Cooling Costs”
• Third Place: Lynh Bui, Arizona State University, “Foot in the Door”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Charlotte Hsu, University of California-Los Angeles, “Chilly voyage warms UCLA patient’s heart”
• Second Place: Desdemona Bandini, California State University-Fullerton, “Everybody is a diamond in the rough”
• Third Place: Janine Kahn, University of Southern California, “Greek and Gay”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Michael Schwartz, University of Arizona, “Womens’ tennis goes global”
• Second Place: Kyle Odegard, Arizona State University, “Devils bound for Insight Bowl”
• Third Place: Roman Veytsman, University of Arizona, “McClellan won’t shut up”

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, University of California-Los Angeles, “UCLA Daily Bruin”
• Second Place: Staff, Arizona State University, “State Press”
• Third Place: Staff, California State University-Northridge, “Daily Sundial”

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published 2-3 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, “The Rebel Yell”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published no more than once per week)
• First Place: Staff, Southwestern College, “Southwestern College Sun”
• Second Place: Staff, Santa Clara University, “The Santa Clara”
• Third Place: Staff, Northern Arizona University, “The Lumberjack”

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Kenneth Todd Ruiz, University of La Verne, “Not Your Typical Hide and Seek”
• Second Place: Chrissy Zehrback, University of La Verne, “She Plays Ball Like a Girl”
• Third Place: Mahsa Khalilifar, California State University-Fullerton, “Reflection of Reality”

Best Student Magazine (published once a year)
• First Place: Staff, California State University-Fullerton, “TUSK Magazine”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best Student Magazine (published more than once a year)
• First Place: Staff, Humboldt State University, “Osprey Magazine”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Daily Sundial Staff, California State University-Northridge, “Residents stunned by speed of wildfires”
• Second Place: Djamila Grossman, University of Arizona, “Polkey had friends all over campus, U.S.”
• Third Place: no award

General News Photography
• First Place: Brian Frank & Kristina Sangsahachart, San Francisco State University, “Rescue & Relief”
• Second Place: Josh Calley, Southwestern College, “Bordering on Tension”
• Third Place: Elise Castle, Humboldt State University, “Protest Arrests”

Feature Photography
•First Place: Jacob Konst, University of Arizona, “Bring out your dead”
• Second Place: Brian Drake, Northern Arizona University, “To the Edge and Back”
• Third Place: Julio Cortez, California State University-Northridge, “Show Down”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Shannon Anchaleechamikorn & Theresa Vergara, California State University-Fullerton, “Opening Act”
• Second Place: Mahsa Khalilifar & David Pardo, California State University-Fullerton, “Reflection of Reality”
• Third Place: Audria Ruscitti, Southwestern College, “Soaking up COLA?”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Brian Drake, Northern Arizona University, “Lady Jacks”
• Second Place: Julio Cortez & Adam Davis, California State University-Northridge, “Matadors come up short & How the West was won”
• Third Place: Chris Coduto, University of Arizona, “Fast Company”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: William Pitts, Arizona State University, "Police Officer Violence"
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio Feature
• First Place: Edward Jacob, California State University-Northridge, “Altered States Art Exhibit”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Heather Sinclair, California State University-Northridge, “Tigers in Captivity”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio Sports Reporting
no award

Radio Newscast
• First Place: Staff, California State University-Northridge, “The Evening Update”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Adriana Alvarado, Arizona State University, “Snow Storm”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Jon Diaz, University of Southern California, “Minutemen”
• Second Place: Lauren Thomas, Arizona State University, “Drunk Driving Campaign”
• Third Place: Jeff Stensland, Arizona State University, “Adderall”

Television Feature
• First Place: Ian Schwartz, Arizona State University, “Drifting”
• Second Place: Timothy Ciancio, University of La Verne, “Sam Maloof Foundation”
• Third Place: Zahid Arab, Arizona State University, “Crime Scene Cleanup”

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Carina Sonn, Arizona State University, “Human Smuggling”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Mark Haas, University of Southern California, “Texting recruits”
• Second Place: Josh Careswell, Arizona State University, “Bordes Brothers”
• Third Place: Rahshaun Haylock, California State University-Northridge, “Exhausted Team-Part 1”

Television News Photography
• First Place: Jeff Stensland, Arizona State University, “AIDS”
• Second Place: Ian Schwartz, Arizona State University, “Airport Parking Fees”
• Third Place: Adriana Alvarado, Arizona State University, “Snow Storm”

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Zahid Arab, Arizona State University, “Yo Yo Champ”
• Second Place: Jeff Aguila, Arizona State University, “Coupon Sense”
• Third Place: Jeff Aguila, Arizona State University, “Drifting”

Television Sports Photography
no award

Television Newscast
• First Place: ASU NewsWatch Staff, Arizona State University, “ASU NewsWatch”
• Second Place: Annenberg TV News Staff, University of Southern California, “Annenberg TV News”
• Third Place: NAU Live! Staff, Northern Arizona University, “NAU Live!”

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Sky Schaudt, Arizona State University, “Cruising the Freeway Blogosphere”
• Second Place: Chris Sheppard, Arizona State University, “122-Millimeter Rocket”
• Third Place: Rita Washko, Arizona State University, “Turning the Tide”

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Audrey Froehlich, Arizona State University, “In This Skin”
• Second Place: Keith Chartier, Arizona State University, “For the Little People”
• Third Place: Gabriel Trujillo, Arizona State University, “Prescription Prayer”

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Stephen Harding, Arizona State University, “Nations Within a Nation”
• Second Place: Jambalaya Project Staff, Arizona State University, “Jambalaya”
• Third Place: Shannon Cook, Callie Parkinson & Jessica White, Arizona State University, “Public Art @ ASU”

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Adam Wright, Arizona State University, “Hoops and Hollers: It’s March in Vegas”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Dianna Nanez, Arizona State University, “Miomy”
• Second Place: Lindsey Gay, Arizona State University, “Politically Inactive”
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Online Student Newspaper
• First Place: ASU Web Devil Staff, Arizona State University, “The ASU Web Devil”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Online Student Magazine
• First Place: Staff, California State University-Fullerton, “TUSK Magazine Online”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Online Student Broadcast Station
no awards

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Staff, Arizona State University, “The Devil’s Tale Spring 2005”
• Second Place: Staff, Arizona State University, “The Devil’s Tale Fall 2005”
• Third Place: no award

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