SPJ Announces 2007 Mark of Excellence Award Winners From Del.; Washington, D.C.; Md.; N.C.; Va.

Market Wire, March, 2008

The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2007 calendar year from Del.; Washington, D.C.; Md.; N.C. and Va. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,400 entries in 39 categories across SPJ's 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on March 29 during the Spring Conference at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging, which takes place next month. National 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.

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

2007 Region 2 Winners:

Breaking News Reporting

--  First Place: The Commonwealth Times Staff, Virginia Commonwealth
    University, "Virginia Tech Massacre"
--  Second Place: Allie Feras & Kara Newhouse, American University,
    "Protesters confront Rove post-speech"
--  Third Place: Eric Roper, Amanda Ramonas, Elise Kigner & Nathan
    Grossman, The George Washington University, "Package on Muslim Poster
    Controversy"
    

General News Reporting

--  First Place: Kate Prahlad, University of Maryland, "Rural areas
    still expected to grapple with dial-up"
--  Second Place: Rick Docksai, University of Maryland,
    "Teacher/student ratio falls as funds grow"
--  Third Place: Kristi Tousignant, University of Maryland,
    "University officials under fire"
    

In-Depth Reporting

--  First Place: Elizabeth DeOrnellas & Stephanie Metzen, University of
    North Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Immigration Series"
--  Second Place: Eric Johnson & Joseph Schwartz, University of North
    Carolina at Chapel Hill, "Eyes of the Storm"
--  Third Place: Eric Roper, The George Washington University, "Series on
    Facebook Privacy Concerns"
    

Feature Writing

--  First Place: Alex Plimack, Towson University, "Evoking Screams on the
    Big Screen"
--  Second Place: Kristi Tousignat, University of Maryland, "Ashes to Ashe"
--  Third Place: Joseph Schwartz, University of North Carolina at Chapel
    Hill, "Marching into History"
    

Sports Writing

--  First Place: Adi Joseph, University of Maryland, "Soccer match marred
    by late-game brawl"
--  Second Place: Jake Sherman, The George Washington University, "Maureece
    Rice 2.0"
--  Third Place: Jake Sherman, The George Washington University, "Message
    Madness"
    

Editorial Writing

--  First Place: The GW Hatchet Staff, The George Washington University
--  Second Place: The Ring-Tum Phi Staff, Washington and Lee University
--  Third Place: The Eagle Staff, American University
    

Editorial Cartooning

--  First Place: William Warren, Wake Forest University
--  Second Place:  Michael O'Brien, University of Maryland
--  Third Place: no award
    

General Column Writing

--  First Place: David Caesar, The George Washington University, "Column
    Collection"
--  Second Place: Alex Plimack, Towson University, "The Reel Deal"
--  Third Place: no award
    

Sports Column Writing

--  First Place: Samuel J. Rosenthal, University of North Carolina at
    Chapel Hill
--  Second Place: Jake Sherman, The George Washington University
--  Third Place: Kiel McLaughlin, Towson University, "In This Corner"
    

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)

--  First Place: Staff, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, "The
    Daily Tar Heel"
--  Second Place: Staff, University of Maryland, "The Diamondback"
--  Third Place: no award
    

Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper (published less than 4 times per week)

--  First Place: Staff, The George Washington University, "The GW Hatchet"
--  Second Place:  Staff, Virginia Commonwealth University, "The Commonwealth
    Times"
--  Third Place: Staff, American University, "The Eagle"
    

Magazine Non-Fiction Article

--  First Place: Theresa Kattula, James Madison University, "Keepers of
    the Mountains"
--  Second Place: Carrie Muhleman, James Madison University, "Hope Within
    Reach"
--  Third Place:  Necie Green, Regent University, "The Choice to Live"
    

Best Student Magazine

--  First Place: Staff, James Madison University, "Curio"
--  Second Place: Staff, Regent University, "Focus Magazine"
--  Third Place: Staff, Washington and Lee University, "inGeneral"
    

Breaking News Photography

--  First Place: Alberto Halpern, American University, "Protesters
    confront Rove post-speech"
--  Second Place: Evan Dyson, James Madison University, "Late Night Rollover"
--  Third Place: Ryder Haske, The George Washington University, "Arrests made
    on AIDS Day"