News & Media

May 2, 2005

May 2, 2005, Greencastle, Ind. - DePauw University student journalists carried home 19 awards -- ten of them first-place trophies -- in the Society of Professional Journalists "Best of Indiana" competition. Indiana's oldest college newspaper, The DePauw, collected nine awards, six for first place, while student radio station WGRE won seven awards, four were first place. DePauw's student television operation, D3TV was honored by SPJ with three awards, one for first place.

WGRE's first place award for "Best Radio Sports Reporting" came in a category that was open to all broadcasters -- collegiate and professional. A total of seven student journalists were recognized as best in the state for their pre-game coverage of November 2004's Monon Bell Classic.

The "Best of Indiana" awards were presented Friday night at the 26th Annual SPJ Awards Banquet at the Indianapolis Marriott North Hotel. The awards are based on work that was printed or aired in 2004. DePauw students competed with student journalists at all other Indiana colleges and universities -- large and small -- around the state. DePauw's ten first-place trophies were the most collected by any school (Butler University was second with seven). The winners are:

The DePauw:

• First Place, Best Deadline News (single story): Summer Black
• First Place, Best Feature (single story): Jennifer Anderson and Adie Verla
• First Place, Best Editorial Writing: Sarah Preuschl, Sarah Schaefer, Austin Diaz, Dan Kelley, Brandon Gee and Mike Claus
• First Place, Best In-Depth or Series Reporting: Kelly Wilson, Summer Black, Ashley Baxstrom, Pam Munch and Rebeca Martinez
• First Place, Best Page One Layout/Design: The DePauw Staff, Adam McClean (designer)
• First Place, Best Informational Graphics: Adam McClean, Lindsay Morris and Jeff Fulcher
• Third Place, Best Sports Story: Mike Morris
• Third Place, Best Editorial Cartoon: Dana Fortunato
• Third Place, Best News Photograph: Lindsay Morris

WGRE:

• First Place, Best Radio Newscast: Liz Farrelly
• First Place, Best Radio News Event Coverage: Liz Farrelly
• First Place, Best Radio Documentary or Series: Claire Ellis, Katie Jaskierski, Adam McClean, Dan Rinder and Nishita Trisal
• First Place, Best Radio Sports Reporting (open to all): Brian Gustin, Wes Anderson, Dan Rinder, Matt Barwise, Teddy Tutson, Liz Farrelly and Dan Lucero
• Second Place: Best Radio News Event Coverage: Brian Gustin
• Second Place, Best Radio Documentary or Series: Wes Anderson, Laura Valler, Susan Kerekes, Megan Weinheimer and Emily Saiter
• Third Place, Best Radio Documentary or Series: Rochelle Immel, Lyle Hampton, Laura Strup and Brian Gustin

D3TV:

• First Place, Best Feature: Nicole Renee Pence
• Third Place, Best Television Newscast: The Source
• Third Place, Best News Reporting: Kristen Pflum

Access a complete list of award recipients at SPJ's Web site by clicking here and here.

Recognizing and promoting journalistic excellence has been a key purpose of the Society of Professional Journalists since it was founded at DePauw University in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, a journalism honor society.