For Immediate Release:
4/06/09

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 4 Mark of Excellence Awards winners for the 2008 calendar year. SPJ Region 4 includes Michigan, Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,600 entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were recognized on April 4 during the regional spring conference held at the Doubletree Hotel in Columbus, Ohio. 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 or lrochester@spj.org

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 4 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting
• First Place: Emilie Schneider, Ohio University, “Ohio University police lieutenant talks down unidentified man threatening to kill himself in Baker Center”
• Second Place: Staff, The State News, Michigan State University, “Cedar Fest a Mess”
• Third Place: Megan Rozsa & Caitlyn Wachovec, Kent State University, “September 11 memorial coverage”

General News Reporting
• First Place: Tyrel Linkhorn, Kent State University, “I didn’t know you, but I loved you”
• Second Place: Staff, Daily Kent Stater, Kent State University, “Five years later: life after five years in Iraq”
• Third Place: Staff, The Globe, Point Park University, “Sexual offenders near campus”

In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Tricia Fulks, West Virginia University, “eMBA-gate”
• Second Place: Heidi Fenton, Central Michigan University, Faculty contract series
• Third Place: Masudur Rahman, Oakland University, “Equality in home quarters”

Feature Writing
• First Place: Brian McLean, Central Michigan University, “Coping with bipolar disorder”
• Second Place: Heidi Fenton, Central Michigan University, “A perceptive pair”
• Third Place: Tony Dobies, West Virginia University, Title IX series

Sports Writing
• First Place: Cash Kruth, Michigan State University, “De-ter-minded”
• Second Place: Katie Carrera, Ohio University, “Gambling scandal with OU baseball players”
• Third Place: Matt O’Donnell, Ohio University, “Solich after 4 seasons”

Editorial Writing
• First Place: Brian McLean, Central Michigan University
• Second Place: Jess Eagle & Brian Tierney, Duquesne University
• Third Place: Staff, The BG News, Bowling Green State University

Editorial Cartooning
• First Place: Erin Felton, Marshall University
• Second Place: Christopher Sharron, Kent State University
• Third Place: Chris Tamlyn, Central Michigan University

General Column Writing
• First Place: Matt Sowards, Marshall University
• Second Place: Ashley Herzog, Ohio University
• Third Place: Lori Weber, Bowling Green State University

Sports Column Writing
• First Place: Robert Thomas Bragg, Marshall University
• Second Place: Tony Dobies, West Virginia University
• Third Place: Brett Hiltbrand, Otterbein College

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, The State News, Michigan State University
• Second Place: Staff, Daily Kent Stater, Kent State University
• Third Place: Staff, The Parthenon, Marshall University

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published less than 4 times per week)
• First Place: Staff, Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University
• Second Place: Staff, The News Record, University of Cincinnati
• Third Place: Staff, The Oakland Post, Oakland University

Magazine Non-Fiction Article
• First Place: Ted Hamilton, Kent State University, “The Last Great Gun Debate”
• Second Place: Ben Wolford, Kent State University, “A New Era”
• Third Place: Sarah Steimer, Kent State University, “Anyone can come and not be judged”

Best Student Magazine
• First Place: Staff, Fusion Magazine, Kent State University
• Second Place: Staff, The Burr, Kent State University
• Third Place: no award

Breaking News Photography
• First Place: Charles Yesenczki & Brock Fowler, Ohio University, “Suicide Attempt Averted”
• Second Place: Sarah Miller, Central Michigan University, “Truck catches fire Friday morning”
• Third Place: Enoch Wu, Bowling Green State University, “Marry Me”

General News Photography
• First Place: Joshua Kodis, Central Michigan University, “No homos go to heaven”
• Second Place: Nikki Rotunda, West Virginia University, “Toxic Truth Tour: it’s not for the visitors”
• Third Place: Charles Yesenczki, Ohio University, “President”

Feature Photography•First Place: Jake May, Central Michigan University, “An old-fashioned good time”
• Second Place: Staff, Daily Kent Stater, Kent State University, “24 hours in Portage County”
• Third Place: Sihang Zhang, Central Michigan University, “Drills for drugs”

Photo Illustration
• First Place: Joseph Herr, The University of Toledo, “Boozing students face shrinking brains”
• Second Place: Joshua Kodis, Central Michigan University, “Campus Conservation”
• Third Place: Jessica Scott, Central Michigan University, “CMU hopes to ‘rope in’ Ball State”

Sports Photography
• First Place: Kareem Elgazzar University of Cincinnati, “Brian Kelly not a happy camper”
• Second Place: Mattew Stephens, Central Michigan University, “Fated fumble”
• Third Place: Emily Lang, University of Cincinnati, “Sweet victory”

Radio News Reporting
• First Place: Adam Cavalier, Marshall University, “Big dips for 50 years”
• Second Place: Leannda Carey, Marshall University, “Marshall in the dark”
• Third Place: no award

Radio Feature
• First Place: Adam Cavalier, Marshall University, “The Toastman”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Radio In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: The FM 88 Sports Team, Marshall University, “The 2008 Marshall football preview”
• Second Place: Alison Chandler, Kate Liebers & Jaime Koziol, Miami University, “Building and breaking barriers”
• Third Place: Brandon Woolum, Marshall University, “Marshall is doomed”

Radio Sports Reporting
• First Place: Adam Cavalier, Marshall University, “Metal v. Wood”
• Second Place: Andrew Ramspacher, Marshall University, “From Futbol to Football”
• Third Place: Adam Cavalier, Marshall University, “Byron Pack”

Radio Newscast
• First Place: The FM 88 Sports Team, Marshall University, The 5:00 p.m. edition of Newscenter 88
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Breaking News Reporting
no awards

Television General News Reporting
• First Place: Kyle Miller, Kent State University, “Center of Hope”
• Second Place: Anthony Rizzo, West Virginia University, “School Bond Fails”
• Third Place: Julie Landis, Kent State University, “MRDD”

Television Feature
• First Place: Stephen Butera, West Virginia University, “Hero Car”
• Second Place: Janet Irwin, West Virginia University, “Holocaust Rememberance”
• Third Place: Pavel Kofman, Michigan State University, “Jake’s Story”

Television In-Depth Reporting
• First Place: Julie Landis, Lauren Yelichek & Janelle Maddox, Kent State University, “Cystic Fibrosis”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Television Sports Reporting
• First Place: Matthew Myall, Michigan State University, “Coach Baum”
• Second Place: Chris Gunnoe, West Virginia University, “Voice of the Mountaineers”
• Third Place: Brandon Brown, West Virginia University, “Ride of WV”

Television News Photography
no awards

Television Feature Photography
no awards

Television Sports Photography
no awards

Television Newscast
• First Place: Staff, WVU News, West Virginia University,
• Second Place: Staff, UT: 10 News, The University of Toledo
• Third Place: Staff, Focal Point News, Michigan State University

Online News Reporting
• First Place: Staff, KentNewsNet.com, Kent State University, “Prentice fire”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Feature Reporting
• First Place: Kristen M. Daum, Michigan State University, “Three youths battle to breathe”
• Second Place: Ida Lieszkovszky, Miami University, “Former drug addict refocuses life to help others in rehab”
• Third Place: no award

Online In-Depth Reporting
no awards

Online Sports Reporting
• First Place: Staff, KentNewsNet.com, Kent State University, “KSU football vs. Akron”
• Second Place: no award
• Third Place: no award

Online Opinion & Commentary
no awards

Best Affiliated Web site
• First Place: Staff, CyBurr, Kent State University
• Second Place: Staff, KentNewsNet.com, Kent State University
• 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 or lrochester@spj.org.

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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