For Immediate Release:
3/24/09

Contact:
Lauren Rochester, Awards Coordinator, 317-927-8000 ext. 210, lrochester@spj.org

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 8 Mark of Excellence Awards winners for the 2008 calendar year. SPJ Region 8 includes Texas and Oklahoma.

This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,600 entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were recognized on March 21 during the regional spring conference held at the Hilton Hotel in Fort Worth, Texas. First place regional winners advance to the national round of judging, which is ongoing. National winners will be announced in mid-May.

2008 Region 8 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Stephen Keller, University of Texas, Austin, “Gun-toting UT student out on bail”
• Second Place: Anita Pere, Baylor University, “Regents oust President Lilley”
• Third Place: Michael Freeman, Abilene Christian University, “An outrageous act”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Kevin Alexander, Texas A & M University, “Weathering the storm”
• Second Place: Jenny Redden, Oklahoma State University, “Cellular secrecy/OSU could cut costs by changing cell policy”
• Third Place: Liz Foreman & Ashley Killough, Baylor University, “Freshman offered $300 to retake SAT”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Staff, University Press, Lamar University, “Hurricane Ike coverage”
• Second Place: Lluvia Rueda, Lamar University, “Shangri La series”
• Third Place: Erin Eidenshink & Tiffany Glick, Southern Methodist University, “Invisible Victims”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Kelline Linton, Abilene Christian University, “Where everything makes sense”
• Second Place: Ashley Killough, Baylor University, “Freedom rings for Kosovars”
• Third Place: Colter Hettich, Abilene Christian University, “Staying in tune”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Steven Jones, University of Oklahoma, “Warren arrives at OU”
• Second Place: David R. Henry, University of Texas, Austin, “Coaches’ Kids”
• Third Place: David Youngblood, Oklahoma State University, “King of Eaton’s court”

Editorial Writing
• First Place: The Shorthorn Editorial Board, University of Texas, Arlington
• Second Place: University Star Editorial Board, Texas State University, San Marcos
• Third Place: Andrew Chavez, Texas Christian University

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Claire Taylor, Baylor University
• Second Place: Pat Stark, Texas State University, San Marcos
• Third Place: Anthony Salinas, University of Texas, Pan American

General Column Writing
• First Place: Alex Muhindura, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: Phillip Bowden, University of Texas, Arlington
• Third Place: Sommer Ingram, Ashley Killough & Jade Ortego, Baylor University

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Royce Young, University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: Justin Rains, University of Texas, Arlington
• Third Place: Stephen Peters, University of Texas, Arlington

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, TCU Daily Skiff, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: Staff, The Shorthorn, University of Texas, Arlington
• Third Place: Staff, The Oklahoma Daily, University of Oklahoma

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published less than 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Pan American, University of Texas, Pan American.
• Second Place: Staff, The Ranger, San Antonio College
• Third Place: Staff, The Collegian, Tarrant County College

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Lee Ann Marcel, Baylor University, “Bittersweet Freedom”
• Second Place: Lindsey Bever, Texas Christian University, “Choking Game”
• Third Place: Andrew Strange, Lamar University, “Fueling the future”

Best Student Magazine
First Place: Staff, Image, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: Staff, Focus, Baylor University
• Third Place: Staff, The Ranger, San Antonio College

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Peter Franklin, University of Texas at Austin, “Perry prepares the state”
• Second Place: Spencer Millsap, Stacie Andrews, Monty Marion & Austin Byrd, Texas State University, San Marcos, “All eyes on Texas”
• Third Place: Kourtney Reese, Lamar University, “Bill Clinton for Vice President”

General News Photography
• First Place: Juan Ramirez, Del Mar College, “Hillary Returns”
• Second Place: Andrew Chavez, Texas Christian University, “Horned frog politics”
• Third Place: Jenny Polson, Texas State University, San Marcos, “Today’s vision, tomorrow’s tradition”

Feature Photography
•First Place: Alex Song, Baylor University, “Sweet Silhouette”
• Second Place: Andrew Chavez, Texas Christian University, “High Flying”
• Third Place: Keely Doering, Texas Christian University, “Glaser Shuffler”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Christina Kruse, Baylor University, “Christian Environmentalism”
• Second Place: Stacie Andrews, Texas State University, San Marcos, “Packing heat”
• Third Place: Brandon Tompkins & Mark Bauer, Tarrant County College, “Dishonesty”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Andrew Buckley, University of Texas, Arlington, “Unbelievable road to glory”
• Second Place: Andrew Roger, University of Texas, Austin, “Boxing”
• Third Place: Tyler Metcalfe, University of Oklahoma, “DeMarco Murray leaps”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Harrison Powers, University of Texas, Austin, “Texas death penalty movement”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio Feature
• First Place: Harrison Powers, University of Texas, Austin, “Taxi cabs and gas”
• Second Place: Andrew Russell, Texas State University, San Marcos, “Iconic”
• Third Place: Andrew Swank, Texas State University, San Marcos, “Million musicians march”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Radio Sports Reporting
no awards

Radio Newscast
no awards

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Crystal Hall, University of Texas, Austin, “West campus fire”
• Second Place: Tom Gunter, Maris Skinner & Corey DeMoss, University of Oklahoma, “Construction Ax”
• Third Place: no award

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Hilary Whittier, Texas Christian University, “The adderall generation”
• Second Place: Grant Martin, Texas State University, San Marcos, “Ike now: 1 month later”
• Third Place: Suyun Hong, University of Texas, Austin, “Cheaper books”

Television Feature
• First Place: Hilary Whitter, Texas Christian University, “News now goes live”
• Second Place: Alyssa Dizon, Texas Christian University, “Early voting kick-off”
• Third Place: Lesley Patterson, University of Oklahoma, “Dr. Indestructo”

Television In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Tom Gunter, University of Oklahoma, “OU student ranks in the top 5 internationally in equestrian competition”
• Second Place: Alex Romich & Taylor Rush, University of Texas, Austin, “March madness”
• Third Place: no award

Television News Photography
no awards

Television Feature Photography
no awards

Television Sports Photography
no awards

Television Newscast
• First Place: Staff, “OU Nightly,” University of Oklahoma
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Anita Pere, Baylor University, “Regents oust President Lilley”
• Second Place: Ashley Killough, Baylor University, “Baylor admits SAT ‘goof’”
• Third Place: Joe Zigtema, Brett Larson, Robert Bember & Andrew Chavez, Texas Christian University, “Seating section…collapses”

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Saerem Yoo & Andrew Chavez, Texas Christian University, “81-year-old enthusiast revives local jazz scene”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Billy Wessels, Texas Christian University, “TCU falls to #2 Oklahoma”
• Second Place: Chance Welch, Texas Christian University, “Ft. Worth journalists remember Sam Baugh”
• Third Place: no award

Online Opinion & Commentary
no awards

Best Affiliated Web site
• First Place: Staff, www.DailySkiff.com, Texas Christian University
• Second Place: Staff, The Ranger (online), San Antonio College
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
no awards

For additional information on the Mark of Excellence Awards, please contact Lauren Rochester at 317-927-8000 ext. 210.

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. For more information on SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.

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