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 3 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 8 at the Region 3 Conference held at the University of Georgia in Athens, Ga. 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 3 Winners:

Editorial Writing
• First Place: The Red & Black Staff, University of Georgia, “Editorial Collection”
• Second Place: Emily Yehle, University of Florida, “Editorial Collection”
• Third Place: Sam Neely, Troy University, “Editorial Collection”

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Andy Marlette, University of Florida, “Cartoon Collection”
• Second Place: Shayna Hall, Dave Valeza & Tony Cucolo, Savannah College of Art and Design, “Cartoon Collection”
• Third Place: no award

General Column Writing
• First Place: Lauren Morgan, University of Georgia, “Column Collection”
• Second Place: Brooke Marshall, Emory University, “1337 Sp3ek”
• Third Place: Todd South, University of Georgia, “Column Collection”

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Eric Neff, Emory University, “Sports Column Collection”
• Second Place: Greg Phillips, Troy University, “Sports Column Collection”
• Third Place: no award

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: David Cohen, University of Florida, “Digital Disaster”
• Second Place: Christine Dellert, University of Central Florida, “State board urges prescriptions”
• Third Place: Emily Yehle, University of Florida, “UF gets image makeover”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Greg Linch, University of Miami, “Faculty find”
• Second Place: Erin Cline, University of South Carolina, “Online dating meets religion”
• Third Place: David Cohen, University of Florida, “Student money pays for private pig roast”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Carolina Reporter Staff, University of South Carolina, “Not forgotten”
• Second Place: Jennifer Burk, University of Georgia, “Sexual Harassment”
• Third Place: Rachel Zelkowitz, Emory University, “Emory admissions”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Ellen Tweedy, Crystal Eller, Carrie Goodin & Kelly Decker, University of South Carolina, “The many faces of autism”
• Second Place: Michael LaForgia, University of South Carolina, “A country where everything is possible”
• Third Place: Megan Davis, University of Florida, “Nation’s largest Hare Krishna community in Alachua”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Robert Carli, University of South Carolina, “Football players are getting bigger”
• Second Place: Robert Carli, University of South Carolina, “Midlands golfer gets ‘big break’”
• Third Place: Michael Rodgers, Troy University, “McKelvin: I’m like Forrest Gump”

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, University of Georgia, “The Red & Black”
• Second Place: Staff, University of South Florida, “The Oracle”
• Third Place: Staff, University of Florida, “The Independent Florida Alligator”

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published 2-3 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, University of Central Florida, “Central Florida Future”
• Second Place: Staff, Emory University, “The Emory Wheel”
• Third Place: Staff, University of Miami, “The Miami Hurricane”

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published no more than once per week)
• First Place: Staff, Auburn University, “The Auburn Plainsman”
• Second Place: Staff, University of South Alabama, “The Vanguard”
• Third Place: Staff, Savannah College of Art & Design, “District”

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Jeannie Tinkham & Robbie Brov, Emory University, “Are we still Coke U?”
• Second Place: Lauren Lake, Florida A&M University, “MC Kimmie Gee”
• Third Place: Matt Lehtola, University of Florida, “Storm Troopers”

Best Student Magazine (published once a year)
no awards

Best Student Magazine (published more than once a year)
• First Place: Staff, Emory University, “The Hub”
• Second Place: Staff, University of Florida, “Orange & Blue”
• Third Place: Staff, Florida A&M University, “Journey”

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Matt Pollitt, University of Central Florida, “First and Goal”
• Second Place: Chris Gunn, University of South Alabama, “University begins the recovery from Hurricane Katrina”
• Third Place: no award

General News Photography
• First Place: Casey Anderson, University of Florida, “Breakin’ it down”
• Second Place: Sara Freeland, University of Georgia, “Finish the terror-drill”
• Third Place: Arleigh Bibb, University of South Carolina, “Frances Day embraces her therapy dog, Lucky”

Feature Photography
•First Place: Lauren Carroll, University of Georgia, “Iron Man”
• Second Place: Tim Hussin, University of Florida, “Living off the Edge”
• Third Place: Emily Anne Crawford, University of Georgia, “Pagans”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Andrea Morales, University of Florida, “Grant Thrall portrait”
• Second Place: Emily Anne Crawford, University of Georgia, “Crime at Frats”
• Third Place: Chris Gunn, University of South Alabama, “Bienville Square in Downtown Mobile”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Lauren Carroll, University of Georgia, “Rocky Topped Again”
• Second Place: Melissa Golden, University of Georgia, “NFL Draft Player”
• Third Place: Matt Pollitt, University of Central Florida, “Bittersweet”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Navideh Forghani, University of Florida, “Return to Space”
• Second Place: Bobby Puppione, University of Alabama, “Tuscaloosa Mayoral Inauguration”
• Third Place: Chad Anderson, University of Alabama, “Artist Suit”

Radio Feature
• First Place: Navideh Forghani, University of Florida, “Trauma Center Crisis”
• Second Place: Bobby Puppione, University of Alabama, “Northport, AL-Downtown Development”
• Third Place: Justin Goodwin, University of Florida, “Band Trip”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Bobby Puppione, University of Alabama, “Hurricane Katrina Coverage”
• Second Place: Navideh Forghani, University of Florida, “Crack Down on Sexual Predators”
• Third Place: no award

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Chad Anderson, University of Alabama, “Rammer Jammer: A Cheer or Crude?”
• Second Place: Justin Goodwin, University of Florida, “Middle School Football”
• Third Place: Bobby Puppione, University of Alabama, “A day at World Cup qualifier”

Radio Newscast
no awards

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Kristina Akra, University of Florida, “GRU Team returns from Katrina Duty”
• Second Place: Amy Popper & Ryan Vasquez, University of Florida, “Tom Brown Murder Case”
• Third Place: Erica N. Proffer, Troy University, “Fatal Car Wreck”

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Harrison Hove, University of Florida, “Sex Offender Home”
• Second Place: Ryan Dean, University of Miami, “Nigil”
• Third Place: Nathalie Pozo, University of Miami, “Hurricane Wilma”

Television Feature
• First Place: Gitana Gotay, University of Miami, “Fake ID”
• Second Place: Tiffany Tift, University of Florida, “Ukraine Orphans”
• Third Place: Robert Kaple, University of Miami, “A Day in the Life of a College President”

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Lindsay Corley, Ryan Graham, Ansley Dreadin & Brian Jaeger, University of Florida, “HIV & AIDS 2005”
• Second Place: Bigad Shaban, University of Florida, “Living with Alzheimer’s”
• Third Place: no award

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Josh Rosenberg, University of Florida, “Canseco Visit”
• Second Place: Allison Williams, University of Miami, “Sebastian the Ibis”
• Third Place: Travon McCall, Florida A&M University, “Atlanta Football Classic”

Television News Photography
• First Place: Erica N. Proffer, Troy University, “Fatal Car Wreck”
• Second Place: Laura Monserrate, University of Florida, “48 Hours on the Streets”
• Third Place: no award

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Tiffany Tift, University of Florida, “Ukraine Orphans”
• Second Place: Travon McCall, Florida A&M University, “Rashard Pompey football story”
• Third Place: no award

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: Adam Barron, University of Florida, “Florida-Georgia Game 2005”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Newscast
• First Place: WUFT News Staff, University of Florida, “News 5”
• Second Place: TrojanVision Nightly News Staff, Troy University, “TrojanVision”
• Third Place: Newsource 15 Staff, University of Georgia, “Newsource 15”

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Niki Doyle, Auburn University, “Prisoners raise money for Katrina victims”
• Second Place: Luke Buckley, University of Alabama, “Where you need to be this weekend”
• Third Place: Lacy Nolan, University of Alabama, “Sports Illustrated on Campus sets up house in SRC”

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Austin Phillips, University of Alabama, “Butch’s Shop”
• Second Place: Jeremy Bagwell, University of Alabama, “Veteran Memorial Series”
• Third Place: Jamie McNamara, University of Alabama, “Leading visual journalism educator was told she was not ‘college material’”

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Carolina Reporter Staff, University of South Carolina, “Not forgotten”
• Second Place: Marlin Caddell, University of Alabama, “A simple sketch turns into controversy”
• Third Place: Mizue Torikoshi, University of Alabama, “The teaching styles of Dianna Osborne”

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Austin Phillips, University of Alabama, “Triskaidekaphobia not a tide thing”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Cullen Brown, University of Alabama, “Our iron holiday”
• Second Place: Jonathan McElvy, University of Alabama, “Has Siegelman forgotten the primary?”
• Third Place: Jonathan McElvy, University of Alabama, “Do issues really matter?”

Best All-Around Online Student Newspaper
• First Place: Alligator.org Staff, University of Florida, “The Independent Florida Alligator Online”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Online Student Magazine
no awards

Best All-Around Online Student Broadcast Station
• First Place: Staff, University of Florida, “WUFT.TV News”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Staff, University of Alabama, “DatelineAlabama.com”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

###