Student journalism work advances to national SPJ contest

Work by Drake students has advanced to the national competition in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Mark of Excellence contest. Honors include best sports reporting, best online student publication, and three photography awards.

The winners were announced at the SPJ Region 7 conference on April 6. Region 7 includes universities and colleges in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri. The first-place winners of all 12 regions will compete at the national level, and results will be announced in late spring.

Five Drake regional winners that advance to national competition:

  • Online Sports Reporting: Jessie Spangler
  • Best Independent Online Student Publication: Urban Plains (the senior journalism capstone website)
  • Breaking news photography: Lorien MacEnulty
  • General News Photography: Grace Hulin
  • Sports Photography: JD Pelegrino

Seven other projects were finalists at the regional competition:

  • Online feature reporting: Samantha Ohlson
  • Online sports reporting: Andrew Beall
  • Podcast: Jessie Spangler and Mitch Kedzior
  • Breaking news reporting: Marie Nalan
  • General news reporting: Rachel James and Phong Ly
  • Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper: Times-Delphic
  • Best Student Magazine: Drake Magazine