For Immediate Release:
3/30/09

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 6 Mark of Excellence Awards winners for the 2008 calendar year. SPJ Region 6 includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,600 entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were recognized on March 28 during the regional spring conference held at the Holiday Inn Select in Bloomington, Minnesota. First place regional winners advance to the national round of judging, which is ongoing. National winners will be announced in mid-May.

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.

2008 Region 6 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Jon Collins, Alex Ebert, Jake Grovum & Karke Weinmann, University of Minnesota, “Some RNC protests turn violent; many arrested”
• Second Place: Amanda Hoffstrom & Abby Sears, University of Wisconsin, Madison, “Zimmermann tragedy”
• Third Place: Jack Kelly, Marquette University, “Barack Obama elected 44th president”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Jake Grovum, University of Minnesota, “Med school reform proposed”
• Second Place: Brooke McEwen, Marquette University, “Women challenge church traditions”
• Third Place: Alyssa Schafer, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “F-M coffee operations stay afloat”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Alex Mannix, University of Minnesota, “UDS: Controversy behind closed doors”
• Second Place: Amy Poppinga & Branden Van Western, South Dakota State University, “Mobile computing/Payday change”
• Third Place: Jon Collins & Karlee Weinmann, University of Minnesota, “Special investigations: lobbyists”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Jon Collins, University of Minnesota, “Seward bar goes under after struggling to stay afloat”
• Second Place: Jon Collins & Karlee Weinmann, University of Minnesota, “Gently into the reach of the night”
• Third Place: Derek Wehrwein, Minnesota State University, Mankato, “Ever changing”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Jake Grovum, University of Minnesota, “Guilty in the public eye”
• Second Place: John Borneman, Marquette University, “A talented trio’s final chance”
• Third Place: Nate Carey, University of Wisconsin, Madison, “Racing into a new age”

Editorial Writing
• First Place: The Minnesota Daily Editorial Board, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Megan Hupp, Andrea Tarrell, Phil Camso & Alli Kerfeld, Marquette University
• Third Place: Brandon Van Western, South Dakota State University

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Andrew Downs, St. Cloud State University
• Second Place: Jessica Lillie & J.D. Botana III, Lakeland College
• Third Place: Brett Gustafson, University of Minnesota

General Column Writing
• First Place: Megan Hren, Marquette University
• Second Place: Jim McLaughlin, Marquette University
• Third Place: Derek Wehrwein, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Robby Douthitt, Marquette University
• Second Place: Nick Bullock, Marquette University
• Third Place: Ben Breiner, University of Wisconsin, Madison

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper(published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Minnesota Daily, University of Minnesota
• Second Place: Staff, The Daily Cardinal, University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper(published less than 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, University Chronicle, St. Cloud State University
• Second Place: Staff, MSU Reporter, Minnesota State University, Mankato
• Third Place: Staff, Lakeland Mirror, Lakeland College

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Lee Morris, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Silent Scourge”
• Second Place: Caitlin Kavanaugh, Marquette University, “Facets of faith”
• Third Place: Greg Shutters, Marquette University, “Milwaukee’s Best”

Best Student Magazine
•First Place: Staff, The Marquette Journal, Marquette University
• Second Place: Staff, Expression, University of North Dakota
• Third Place: no award

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Kyle Bursaw, University of Wisconsin, Madison, “Frathouse fire”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

General News Photography
• First Place: Isabel Alvanez, University of Wisconsin, Madison, “Candlelight vigil”
• Second Place: Raymond Starin, Minnesota State University, Mankato, “Move in day”
• Third Place: no award

Feature Photography
•First Place: Tyson Kuznia, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Florian, MN”
• Second Place: Lorenzo Zemella, University of Wisconsin, Madison, “Scenes from the Democratic National Convention”
• Third Place: Alex Marit, Lakeland College, “Homecoming photos”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Kevin Kozicki, Marquette University, “Let it all slang out”
• Second Place: Jaclyn Poeschl & Greg Shutters, Marquette University, “The hands that made Milwaukee”
• Third Place: Brooke McEwen, Marquette University, “Mind the gap photos”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Stephen Brun, South Dakota State University, “Derek Domino’s flying helmet”
• Second Place: Raymond Starin, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Mavericks beat Mustangs
• Third Place: Ethan Swanson, South Dakota State University, “Jock’s senior Vanessa Paswaters”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Sarah Ellen Boden, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Cedar-riverside shooting”
• Second Place: Kristin Helgeson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Climate Change”
• Third Place: Ron Miller, Minnesota, Twin Cities, “DTV”

Radio Feature
• First Place: Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Bio-diesel bus”
• Second Place: Kristin Helgeson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Cruising Green”
• Third Place: Sarah Ellen Boden University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Safe cigarette reactions”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
•First Place: Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Ethanol Parts 1 and 2”
• Second Place: Kristin Helgeson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Clean coal”
• Third Place: Ron Miller, Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Pioneer of broadcasting: KUOM”


Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Marco LaNave, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Sliding to the finish line: Gopher football 2008”
• Second Place: Marco LaNave, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “Hot start: Gopher basketball 2008-09”
• Third Place: no award

Radio Newscast
no awards

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Rebecca Gilbuena, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Attic fire”
• Second Place: McKenna Ewen, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, “From small town to battleground”
• Third Place: Rebecca Gilbuena, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Home lost, life saved”

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Whitney Hay, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Camp Wilderness”
• Second Place: Nathan Matson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Energy Drinks”
• Third Place: Rebecca Gilbuena, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Propane Explosion”

Television Feature
• First Place: Whitney Hay, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Student in the Guard”
• Second Place: Suzanne Schmidt, University of North Dakota, “Opera Church”
• Third Place: Michael Quinn, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Facebook Phenomenon”

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Broadcast Documentary Class, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “The greatest silent sport”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Chelsie Allen, St. Cloud State University, “History of Husky hockey”
• Second Place: Jordan Weinand, St. Cloud State University, “Equipment Management”
• Third Place: Joel Larsen, Chelsie Allen & Jordan Austin, St. Cloud State University, “Husky Mag”

Television News Photography
• First Place: Kyle Johnson & Christopher Flynn, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Energy Drinks”
• Second Place: Kit Cross, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Orphan Lambs”
• Third Place: Kit Cross, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Chili Cook-off”

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Tim Gerszewski, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Earth Day”
• Second Place: Nathan Aamodt, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Christmas Lights”
• Third Place: Kit Cross, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Lesson in perspective”

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: Kyle Johnson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Disabilities become opportunities”
• Second Place: Kyle Johnson, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, “Squirt Hockey”
• Third Place: Jeremy Curran, University of North Dakota, “Brody”

Television Newscast
• First Place: Staff, UTVS News, St. Cloud State University
• Second Place: Staff, Campus News, Minnesota State University, Moorhead
• Third Place: Staff, Studio One, University of North Dakota

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Keith Hovis, University of Minnesota, “100 highest paid U employees largely admins.”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Feature Reporting
no awards

Online In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Online Sports Reporting
no awards

Online Opinion & Commentary
no awards

Best Affiliated Web site
no awards

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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