Ball State University students won five first-place awards in the regional Mark of Excellence competition sponsored by the Society of Professional Journalists. The work, judged from among entries in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky the weekend of April 26, will go on to compete nationally.
The honors follow 16 BSU awards in SPJ's Indiana state contest earlier in April.
First place Mark of Excellence winners included:
- Teddy Cahill, Ball State Daily News, sports writing.
- The Daily News editorial board for editorial writing.
- Benjamin Dashley, Daily News, general column writing.
- Corey Ohlenkamp, Daily News, general news photography.
- Ball Bearings Online Website, best affiliated website.
The awards were presented at the SPJ Region 5 spring conference in St. Louis. The national winners will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference Aug. 24-26 in Anaheim, Calif.
SPJ State Awards
Elsewhere, Ball State journalists won 16 awards in the Indiana state SPJ contest - including first place for online multimedia, column writing, Page 1 design, best TV newscast and best TV features reporting.
Graduating senior Sarah Phinney was named Indiana Student Journalist of the Year by the organization at its spring convention on April 19.
"Since her freshman year, she has filled her time with internships and college media positions, expanding her knowledge of and experience in television and radio reporting, editing and producing," the SPJ award said.
"The quality of her radio and TV pieces show she has prepared herself well for a career in the field."
Carolyn Case, Erin Anderson, Mikaela Maranhas and Victoria Roderick of Ball Bearings won first place for Best Online Multimedia
Michelle Johnson of Ball Bearings won first place for Column Writing. Johnson has also been features editor for the Ball State Daily News.
Jennifer Prandato of the Daily News won first place for Page 1 design. The newspaper also won second place and Ball Bearings took third, for a Ball State sweep in that category.
In the Student Television division, Chris Renkel, Chris Kosinski and Emily Barker shared a first place for Features Reporting for Ball State Sports Link.
Best TV newscast went to Amanda Richardson, Natalie Wagner, Bryan Shawver, Nicole Griffin and the staff of NewsLink Indiana.
"Viewers would likely be better informed by watching this newscast than most professional newscasts," judges said.
In SPJ's professional radio division, John Strauss, Daily News adviser and journalism instructor, won first place for Documentary Radio for "Indiana Weekend," a weekly magazine show on Indiana Public Radio.
Lists of All BSU Awards
SPJ Region 5 winners from Ball State:Sports Writing
First Place: “ATHLETICS: Signing Off” by Teddy Cahill, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Editorial Writing
First Place: Editorial Board, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
General Column Writing
First Place: Benjamin Dashley, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Sports Column Writing
Third Place: Steven Williams, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
General News Photography
First Place: “Life in Color” by Corey Ohlenkamp, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Photo Illustration
Second Place: “Teaching Creation” by Bobby Ellis, Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Best Affiliated Website
First Place: Ball Bearings Online Website, Ball State University
Indiana SPJ Winners
Student Journalist of the year: Sarah Phinney
Best Journalism Website
2nd Place: BSUDaily.com (Ball State Unified Student Media)
Best Online Multimedia
1st Place: Ball Bearings: Carolyn Case, Erin Anderson, Mikaela Maranhas, Victoria Roderick.
2nd Place: Ball State Daily News Staff, Coverage of Beef O' Brady's Bowl.
Column Writing
1st Place: Michelle Johnson, Ball Bearings.
Design Other Than Page 1 or Cover
3rd Place: Ball Bearings - Emma Kate Fittes, Alex Burton, Rebekah Floyd
Feature Photography
2nd Place: Stephanie Tarrant, Ball Bearings.
3rd Place: Corey Ohlenkamp, Ball State Daily News.
Page One or Cover Design
1st Place: Jennifer Prandato, Ball State Daily News.
2nd Place: Emily Theis, Ball State Daily News.
3rd Place: Chelsea Kardokus, Ball Bearings.
Sports Photography
2nd Place: Bobby Ellis, Ball State Daily News.
Sports Reporting
2nd Place: Teddy Cahill, Ball State Daily News.
Student RADIO
Election Night Coverage
2nd Place: WCRD - Payne Horning, A.J. Brammer, Lisa Ryan and Jennifer Farrington
Student Television
Features Reporting
1st Place: Ball State Sports Link - Chris Renkel, Chris Kosinski, Emily Barker
Student Television, Best newscast
1st Place: NewsLink Indiana - Amanda Richardson, Natalie Wagner, Bryan Shawver, Nicole Griffin, and staff.
- By John Strauss
jcstrauss@bsu.edu
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