2021 Region 5 Mark of Excellence Awards
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of this year’s SPJ Region 5 Mark of Excellence awards for student journalism! We announced the honorees at the virtual regional conference on April 10.
Winners in each category will go on to compete with the winners of the other 11 regions in the national competition.
A special thanks to Region 5 assistant coordinator Nicole DeCriscio for managing the Mark of Excellence awards this year.
SPJ headquarters will mail award certificates. Need a duplicate certificate?Order them for $5 each, includes shipping. Contact Lou Harry at SPJ at lharry@hq.spj.org
Other questions? Contact Amy Merrick, SPJ Region 5 coordinator, amerric1@depaul.edu
Missed the awards ceremony? Watch the video here:
Newspaper
Sports Column Writing
Finalist: Staff, “Northwestern Sports Time Machine,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: Peter Warren, The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Sports Writing
Finalist: Drew Schott, “‘If I put my mind to anything I can achieve it’: How Abi Scheid became the best three-point shooter in the country,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Matt Cohen, “The General comes home,” Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Winner: Peter Warren, “Football: How Northwestern football handled the 1918 influenza epidemic,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Breaking-News Reporting (small, up to 9,999 students)
Winner: Megan Stratton, “Butler University moves first two weeks of 2020 semester online,” The Butler Collegian, Butler University
General News Reporting (small, up to 9,999 students)
Finalist: Delaney Nelson, “Addressing the ‘elephant in the room’: New program provides support to teen parents,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Stasia Raebel, Ja’Sia Ward, Sophie Ciokaljo, “Election impact on Butler’s campus,” The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Winner: Delaney Nelson, “‘I’m doing my part’: the grocery store workers on the front lines of the pandemic,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
In-Depth Reporting (small, up to 9,999 students)
Winner: Ellie Allen, Joe Krisko and Allison Miccolis, “The evolution of Butler’s COVID-19 testing procedures,” The Butler Collegian, Butler University
General Column Writing (small, up to 9,999 students)
Finalist: Bridget Early and Andrew Favakeh, “Investigating Butler’s navigation of the COVID-19 pandemic,” The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Winner: Nathan Herbst, The Reflector, University of Indianapolis
Feature Writing (small, up to 9,999 students)
Finalist: Adam Mahoney, “Mother of man killed by CPD now spends holidays as community Santa,” Chicago Sun-Times, Northwestern University
Finalist: Madison Miller, “I now pronounce you, dead,” NCClinked.com, North Central College
Winner: Kyra Steck, “Voices on racism,” The Martha’s Vineyard Times, Northwestern University
Best All-Around Student Newspaper (small, up to 9,999 students)
Winner: The Butler Collegian, Butler University
Breaking News Reporting (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Kayleigh Padar, Madison Savedra, Katie Anthony, Mary Chappell, “Arrested protestors released after protests near Loyola’s Lake Shore campus,” The Loyola Phoenix, Loyola University Chicago
Winner: Claire Proctor, “Jacob Blake’s father says son’s paralyzed from waist down after police shooting in Kenosha,” Chicago Sun-Times, Northwestern University
General News Reporting (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Michael J. Collins and Laurel Deppen, “Need to know: The facts about WKU’s response to COVID-19,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Daisy Conant, “Civic leaders, organizers discuss impact of EPD limiting practice of arresting minors,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: Megan Munce and Daisy Conant, “Supreme Court decision disrupts students’ voting plan,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
In-Depth Reporting (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Sophia Scanlan, “In Focus: Independent businesses in Evanston deal with declining support,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Madison Savedra, “Loyola professor still teaching after evidence of ‘unprofessional and sexual harassing behavior,’” The Loyola Phoenix, Loyola University Chicago
Winner: Kalen Luciano and Heena Srivastava, “In Focus: Loopholes in federal lead law left 5th Ward in the dark about what is in its water,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
General Column Writing (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Mary Chappell, The Loyola Phoenix, Loyola University Chicago
Winner: Yilun Cheng, Max News Today, Northwestern University
Feature Writing (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Jacquelyne Germain, “Race, class and SAT scores,” North by Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: Caroline Anders, “Live and learn,” Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Best All-Around Student Newspaper (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: The Loyola Phoenix, Loyola University Chicago
Radio
Radio In-Depth Reporting
Winner: Angelina Campanile, “Explained: President Trump’s election lawsuits,” WNUR News, Northwestern University
Best All-Around Radio Newscast
Winner: Angelina Campanile, Helen Bradshaw, Alex Harrison, Olivia Lloyd, WNUR News, Northwestern University
Television
Television Breaking-News Reporting
Winner: Holden Abshier, “Breonna Taylor protest,” IU NewsNet, Indiana University
Television General News Reporting
Finalist: Erica Carbajal, “Hazardous waste,” Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Finalist: Alexa Mikhail, “Daily life in a pandemic,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Winner: Joey Maya Safchik, “Survivors condemn comparisons between quarantine and Holocaust,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Television In-Depth Reporting
Finalist: Crystal Hellwig, “Businesses hurt by covid,” Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Finalist: Jenny Huh, “LGBTQ+ youth homelessness hits close to Northwestern’s campus,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Winner: Crystal Hellwig, “CTA crime,” Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Television Feature Reporting
Finalist: Joey Maya Safchik, “The show goes on for artists with autism,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Finalist: Erica Carbajal, “DePaul opera,” Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Winner: Joey Maya Safchik, “Old school activism: A history of protest at Northwestern,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Television Sports Reporting
Finalist: Jack Lido, “Pete the public address Wildcat,” NNN Sports, Northwestern University
Finalist: Michael Abraham, “Pantelis Xidias,” Good Day DePaul, DePaul University
Winner: Jack Lido, “The Art of the Draw,” NNN Sports, Northwestern University
Best All-Around Television Newscast
Finalist: Tracy Hemmingway, Abraham Alonso, Reid Pohland, John Kilpatrick, “LUTN Election Night 2020,” Lewis University Television Network, Lewis University
Winner: Staff, “Northwestern News Network COVID-19 special report,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Online
Online News Reporting
Finalist: Justin Myers, “DePaul community speaks out against FOP partnership,” 14 East, DePaul University
Finalist: Laaiba Mahmood and Hajra Qaiser, “Complaints against Chicago police rise as protesters seek accountability,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Winner: Nicole Sroka, “Chicago homicide rates surging during pandemic,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Online In-Depth Reporting
Finalist: Joslyn Fox, “A Censored Community: Students’ Speech, Expression Encumbered; DePauw Criticized,” The DePauw, DePauw University
Finalist: Staff, “Outbreak: COVID-19 in Chicago,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Winner: Meredith Melland and Marin Scott, “Under review: How Lisa Calvente’s termination exposed a flawed tenure process,” 14 East, DePaul University
Online Feature Reporting
Finalist: Zora Gordon, Addison LeBoutillier and Carlie Jefferies, “Happy at home,” Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Lia Assimakopoulos, “A gridiron legacy uncovered: How Northwestern football players risked it all for racial equality,” Inside NU, Northwestern University
Winner: Emily Isaacman, Karli VanCleave, Mel Fronczek, “Softening Stigma,” Indiana Daily Student, Indiana University
Online Sports Reporting
Finalist: Ruby Chapdelaine and Charlie Haynes, “Boxers find community in Bowling Green,” Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Chris Katsaros and Charles Tharpe, “How the Big Ten Conference fumbled the pandemic,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Winner: Lia Assimakopoulos, “A gridiron legacy uncovered: How Northwestern football players risked it all for racial equality,” Inside NU, Northwestern University
Online Opinion & Commentary
Winner: Julián Martinez, 14 East, DePaul University
Online/Digital News Videography
Finalist: Jacob Ohara, “ETHS grads fight COVID-19 with new antimicrobial phone case,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: Samantha Boas, “Evanston constructs stabilization project along lakefront,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Best Affiliated Website
Finalist: The Reflector, University of Indianapolis
Winner: The Chronicle, North Central College
Best Independent Online Student Publication
Finalist: RE(a)D, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: 14 East, DePaul University
Winner: Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Art & Graphics
General News Photography
Winner: Tony Reeves, “Health science safety photo,” The Reflector, University of Indianapolis
Sports Photography
Winner: Matt Gadd, “Helping hand,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Breaking-News Photography (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Zane Meyer-Thornton, “No justice no peace,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Winner: Zack Miller, “Person handcuffed during Chicago’s George Floyd protests,” The Loyola Phoenix, Loyola University Chicago
Feature Photography
Finalist: Allie Hendricks, “Dorm cleaning,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Finalist: Allie Hendricks, “Field trip,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Winner: Kellen Frazier, “Farming the land,” The College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Data Visualization
Finalist: Kami Geron, “Finding a rusty patched bumblebee, what to look for,” Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University
Finalist: Kate Perschke, “Campaign finance: How are Biden and Trump fundraising and spending 10 days before the election,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Winner: Emily Wright, “The Truth About Climate Change,” Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University
Magazine
Nonfiction Magazine Article
Finalist: Jenna Greenzaid, “Risk of return,” North by Northwestern, Northwestern University
Winner: Morgan Hornsby, “Everything starts with mama,” Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Best Student Magazine
Finalist: Talisman, “Zeitgeist: The spirit of the age,” Western Kentucky University
Winner: North by Northwestern, Fall 2020 issue, Northwestern University
COVID-19 Coverage
COVID-19: Video Coverage (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Jack Lido, “Sportscasters in the age of COVID,” Northwestern News Network, Northwestern University
Winner: Olivia Yarvis and Victoria Benefield, “The Daily Northwestern explains: How to conduct an at-home mask test,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
COVID-19: Newspaper, Magazine and Online Coverage (small, up to 9,999 students)
Finalist: Noah Crenshaw, “Breaking news coverage of UIndy shutdown due to COVID-19,” The Reflector, University of Indianapolis
Winner: Nathan Herbst, Noah Fields, Jacob Walton and Gisele Valentin, “The Reflector COVID-19 coverage,” The Reflector, University of Indianapolis
COVID-19: Newspaper, Magazine and Online Coverage (large, 10,000+ students)
Finalist: Staff, “Outbreak: COVID-19 in Chicago,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Finalist: Kallie Cox and Danny Connolly, “SIU will not be informing the public of COVID-19 outbreaks on campus; RAs told to keep quiet,” The Daily Egyptian, Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Winner: Staff, “North by Northwestern magazine COVID coverage,” North by Northwestern, Northwestern University
Multimedia
Best Video Game Reporting
Winner: Dillon McCormick, “Evolving sport,” Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Best Podcast
Finalist: Madison Smith, “Defining safe: Living in limbo,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Finalist: Aaron Robinson, “Andy and Carlos,” Northwestern University
Winner: Victoria Benefield, “Digital diaries: Alone on campus,” The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
Best Use of Multimedia
Finalist: Justin Myers, “Austin, the architectural landscape: A walking tour,” 14 East, DePaul University
Finalist: Myra Leon, Jose Vidales, Itzel Elizarraraz, “Why is Chicago’s lakefront washing away?” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Winner: Kate Perschke, “Election 2020: Young voters turn out in historic numbers,” The Red Line Project, University of Illinois at Chicago
Tags: 2021, awards, Mark of Excellence, regional conferences, student
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