WWU journalists win regional awards

Western Today staff

April 2, 2012

Western Washington University students captured 22 of the 85 Mark of Excellence awards handed out by the Society of Professional Journalists this past weekend at the regional conference.

Eight of the awards were for first place in their categories; those winning entries will be entered in the national SPJ contest later this year.

Among the winners for Western was best non-daily university newspaper (The Western Front) and best university magazine (The Planet).

This list of Western's winners was compiled by Peggy Watt, an associate professor of journalism at Western:

Four-year colleges

  • Breaking News Photography
    • Second Place: Fire destroys waterfront homes on Swinomish land – by Benjamin Woodard, Western Washington University (published in the Skagit Valley Herald)
  • Feature Photography
    • First Place: Cosmopolitan cowboy – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (Klipsun)
    • Second Place: Parkour: the world is a playground – by Erin Nash, Western Washington University (Front)
    • Third Place: Acid tide – by Lauren Owens, Western Washington University (Planet)
  • General News Photography
    • Third Place: After air combat, a few precious weeks home – by Benjamin Woodard, Western Washington University (published in the Skagit Valley Herald)
  • Photo Illustration
    • First Place: Smashing good time – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (Klipsun)
    • Second Place: Strategic sleuth – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (Klipsun)
    • Third Place: Journey to the center – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (Klipsun)
  • Sports Photography
    • First Place: Northwest Collegiate Climbing Challenge – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (published in the Bellingham Herald)
    • Second Place: Ski to Sea kayak finish – by Jordan Stead, Western Washington University (published in the Bellingham Herald)
  • Best Student Magazine
    • First Place: The Planet, Western Washington University
  • Non-Fiction Magazine Article
    • Second Place: Beyond the high: A fight against disease, stigma and jail – by Benjamin Woodard, Western Washington University (Klipsun)
  • Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper
    • First Place: The Western Front, Western Washington University
  • Breaking News Reporting
    • Second Place: Western student leaves Egypt amidst protests – by Brianna Gibbs, Western Washington University (Front)
  • General News Reporting
    • First Place: Ride along with the party bus – by Caleb Hutton and Colin Diltz, Western Washington University (Front)
    • Second Place: Death with Dignity Act may face amendment – by Evan Marczynski, Western Washington University (Front)
  • In-Depth Reporting
    • First Place: Pipeline safety vs. property rights – by Benjamin Woodard, Western Washington University (published in the Skagit Valley Herald)
  • Online Feature Reporting
    • First Place: Undammed: the Elwha River story – by Lauren Owens and Heather Shupe, Western Washington University (Planet)
  • Radio Feature Reporting
    • Second Place: Mother of mercy – by Bethany Jo Denton, Western Washington University (KUGS) • Third Place: Placentophagy – by Jeff Emtman, Western Washington University (KUGS)
  • Radio In-depth Reporting
    • Second Place: Bellingham Boo's – by Bethany Jo Denton, Western Washington University (KUGS)

Two-year and community colleges
 

  • In-Depth Reporting
    • Second Place: Elwha articles – by Jameson Hawn and Ryan Hueter, Peninsula College (Hawn is now a student at WWU)