WGRE Students Win National SPJ Award

Nicole Pence preparing to board the USS Intrepid	Brian Gustin outside the Intrepid
Brian and Nicole accept the SPJ National Award for Best Radio Sports Reporting

WGRE is proud to announce that the Society of Professional Journalists awarded four of the station's students with a 2003 Mark of Excellence national award. The team of Brian Kern, Wesley Anderson, Brian Gustin and Teddy Tutson were honored with the award for Best Radio Sports Reporting, besting the other two finalists from Syracuse University and the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.

The team was responsible for the production and broadcast of the pre-game show of the 110th Monon Bell Pre-game show. The "All American College Football Pre-game Show Monon Bell Grill-out Extravaganza" was a two-hour special live from the parking lot of Blackstock Stadium. Listeners could hear the show anywhere in the world on the Internet, or could listen live from the crew's broadcast booth where they provided free hot dogs to fans tailgating or heading into the game. Nicole Pence was also involved in the telecast, providing live updates from the DePauw Women's Soccer team's national quarterfinal game at Boswell Field.

Also up as a national finalist was an effort by Kern and Pence in the category of "Best Newscast," recognizing the station's daily news and sportscasts read live throughout the day. Both telecasts won previous awards from the SPJ at the state and regional level before they were announced as national finalists. The SPJ received more awards nominations across its 45 categories than it has ever before in the award's 29 year history -- topping 3,200 total.

Pence and Gustin went to the SPJ's National Convention in New York City to attend the awards banquet and sessions that spanned across three days covering national and campus journalism issues. The convention included several recognizable faces including NBC's Brian Williams, PBS's Bill Moyer and former CBS broadcaster Walter Cronkite. "Getting to be in the room with some of these legends who were able to make their broadcasting aspirations come true really made you think about what it takes to get it done," Gustin said. "Hopefully this national recognition could really help be a springboard for my career. At the very least it is a great honor for myself and my co-workers. I think it let's our listeners know they have a great product on their radios each and every week, and let's those that are not listening know that they are missing out."

Even though Pence's entry did not win the national award she was glad to have had the experience. "The opportunity and recognition of being a finalist alone for this year's convention was incredible," Pence said. "Knowing that my daily passion at WGRE was so highly recognized and awarded is an amazing feeling."

Last updated February 15, 2006