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 2 Mark of Excellence Awards winners for the 2008 calendar year. SPJ Region 2 includes Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia. 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 Ballston Campus Conference Center in Arlington, Virginia. First place regional winners advance to the national round of judging, which is ongoing. National winners will be announced in mid-May.

2008 Region 2 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Kyle Goon, University of Maryland, College Park, “Three men force their way into apartment”
• Second Place: Eric Roper & Nathan Grossman, George Washington University, “Man dies after fall on F street”
• Third Place: Staff, The GW Hatchet, George Washington University, “Election Night 2008”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Ashley Lewis, University of Maryland, College Park, “State Police Spying”
• Second Place: Andie Diemer, Elon University, “Vandals strike work of Elon's scholer-in-residence”
• Third Place: Nick DiMarco, Towson University, “Women raped at Knoilwood” (series)

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Hannah Williams, Elon University, “You want it? You got it!”
• Second Place: Carly Gorga, University of Richmond, “Gossip web site campus community”
• Third Place: Tony Romm, American University, “The politics of pennies”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Nicole Norfleet, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Nicholas Shanks refused to fail”
• Second Place: Aaron Kraut, University of Maryland, College Park, “From Baghdad to the bullpen”
• Third Place: Nick DiMarco, Towson University, “College life spent on call”

Sports Writing
• First Place: Andrew Alberg, George Washington University, “Life Coach”
• Second Place: Matthew McGovern, James Madison, “Remarkable Return”
• Third Place: Gabrielle Bluestone, George Washington University, “The underdog sailors”

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Jacob Geiger, Washington & Lee University
• Second Place: Paul Raker, Greensboro College
• Third Place: The GW Hatchet Editorial Board, George Washington University

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Michael O’Brien, University of Maryland, College Park
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

General Column Writing
• First Place: Claire Autruong, George Washington University
• Second Place: Tyler Waldman, Towson University
• Third Place: David Ceasar, George Washington University

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Samuel J. Rosenthal, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Second Place: Barrett Neale, University of Richmond
• Third Place: Tim Chapman, James Madison University

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Diamondback, University of Maryland, College Park
• Second Place: Staff, The Daily Tar Heel, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published less than 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The Pendulum, Elon University
• Second Place: Staff, The Collegian, University of Richmond
• Third Place: Staff, The GW Hatchet, George Washington University

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Alexandra Scaggs, Washington & Lee University, “The P.O.W: James Berger”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Best Student Magazine
First Place: Staff, Curio, James Madison University
• Second Place: Staff, In General Magazine, Washington & Lee University
• Third Place: Staff, Take Two!, Washington & Lee University

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Adam Fried, Jaclyn Borowski & James B. Hale, University of Maryland, College Park
• Second Place: Nick Gingold, George Washington University, “Darfur Rally”
• Third Place: Ryder Haske, George Washington University, “The election win”

General News Photography
• First Place: Anna Young, James Madison University, “Obama hoping to reign in Virginia”
• Second Place: Patrick Smith, Towson University, “Obama inspires student support”
• Third Place: Adam Fried & James B. Hale, University of Maryland, College Park, “Virtuous patience”

Feature Photography
•First Place: Patrick Smith, Towson University, “Crowd Surf Fest”
• Second Place: Angie Lovelace, Elon University, “Honoring Michael Foreman”
• Third Place: Kristofer Marsh, Towson University, “Johnson performs downtown”

Photo Illustration • First Place: Kristofer Marsh & Rachel Fauber, Towson University, “Dropping the drinking age”
• Second Place: Kristofer Marsh & Rachel Fauber, Towson University, “The wait is over”
• Third Place: Jaclyn Borowski & Sam Stone, University of Maryland, College Park, “Porn addiction”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Adam Fried, University of Maryland, College Park, “Waking up”
• Second Place: Jaclyn Borowski, University of Maryland, College Park, “Terps can’t complete comeback at BC”
• Third Place: Robert Boag, James Madison University, JMU football vs. Richmond”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Amanda Gaines, University of Maryland, College Park, “Election Night 2008”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio Feature
• First Place: Chrislene Bright, University of Maryland, College Park, “Gamer Symphony Orchestra”
• Second Place: Brooks Staley, University of Maryland, College Park, “Bio Bandage”
• Third Place: Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “WXYC”

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Staff, Terp Weekly Edition, Spring 2008, University of Maryland, College Park, “Special report: Out of the shadows”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Kyle Patton, University of Maryland, College Park, “Club Rugby”
• Second Place: Jason Kahn, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Football drought”
• Third Place: Scott Kaptur, University of Maryland, College Park, “Pro Day”

Radio Newscast
• First Place: Staff, Carolina Connection, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Second Place: Staff, Terp Weekly Edition, University of Maryland, College Park
• Third Place: no award

Television Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: John Wist, University of Maryland, College Park, “Bank robbery”
• Second Place: Lindsay Denmark, University of Maryland, College Park, “Damascus crash”
• Third Place: Adam Rhew, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Eve Carson murdered”

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Carly J. Swain, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, "Dead man walking series"
• Second Place: Erin Franklin, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Business safety”
• Third Place: John Wist, University of Maryland, College Park, “Green Tailgating”

Television Feature
• First Place: Cassandra Wilson, University of Maryland, College Park, “At the barbershop”
• Second Place: Samia Badih, University of Maryland, College Park, “Walter Reed rehab”
• Third Place: Bethany Tuggle, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Bouncing bulldogs”

Television In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Jason Kahn, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Ping pong phenom”
• Second Place: Nick Verderame, Maryland, College Park, “Women’s Crew”
• Third Place: Mike Beckerman, Maryland, College Park, “Boxing”

Television News Photography
• First Place: Cassandra Wilson, University of Maryland, College Park, “MD voters at VA”
• Second Place: Lindsay Denmark, University of Maryland, College Park, “Pet returns”
• Third Place: no award

Television Feature Photography
• First Place: Jennifer Carpenter, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Golden Olympics”
• Second Place: John Wist, University of Maryland, College Park, “Walter Reed rehab”
• Third Place: Bethany Tuggle, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Bouncing bulldogs”

Television Sports Photography
• First Place: Jason Kahn, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “Ping pong phenom”
• Second Place: Mike Beckerman, Maryland, College Park, “Boxing”
• Third Place: Nick Verderame, Maryland, College Park, “Women’s Crew”

Television Newscast
• First Place: Staff, Carolina Week, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Second Place: Phillip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland, College Park
• Third Place: no award

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Staff, Maryland Newsline & Capital News Service, University of Maryland, College Park, “The Pope in Washington”
• Second Place: Journalism students of Washington & Lee University, Washington & Lee University, “Special Coverage! Election 2008”
• Third Place: Staff, The GW Hatchet, George Washington University, “Election Night coverage”

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Brittany Levine, Alex Ellis, Nick Gingold & Ryder Haske, George Washington University, “Rolling rough: Rollergirls take it out on the track”
• Second Place: Michelle Williams, University of Maryland, College Park, “Eastport Group welcomes spring with sock burning”
• Third Place: James K. Sanborn & Ben Swartz, University of Maryland, College Park, “The Pentagon memorial/ Remembering 9/11”

Online In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Nicole Norfleet, University of Maryland, College Park, “A warm welcome”
• Second Place: Melissa Caron, Megann Daw, Katherine Greene & Drew Anne Scarantino, Washington & Lee University, “Funding the silver tsunami”
• Third Place: Staff, Maryland Newsline & Capital News Service, University of Maryland, College Park, “Economy in crisis”

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Joanna Shapes, George Washington University, “Rice kicked off basketball team”
• Second Place: Barrett Neale, University of Richmond, “Football wins first national championship in school history”
• Third Place: Samuel J. Rosenthal, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, “UNC fans remember incident, eager for Duke's return”

Online Opinion & Commentary
• First Place: Pamela Ricter, Elon University
• Second Place: Barrett Neale, University of Richmond
• Third Place: no award

Best Affiliated Web site
• First Place: Staff, Maryland Newsline & Capital News Service, University of Maryland College Park, Maryland Newsline
• Second Place: Staff, The GW Hatchet, George Washington University
• Third Place: no award

Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication
• First Place: Staff, The Rockbridge Report, Washington & Lee University
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

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.