Cronkite Students Win 35 SPJ Awards

The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication swept the Society of Professional Journalists regional awards for the seventh year in a row and the ninth time in 10 years. The Arizona State University students took home a total of 35 awards – nearly 40 percent of all the Region 11 awards given – and swept four categories. Students finished first in 17 categories, including print, television, radio and online reporting and photography. The Cronkite Zine, the school’s online student magazine, was named Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication, and the ASU Web Devil, the online partner of The State Press, ASU’s daily student newspaper, was named Best Affiliated Web Site. The awards recognize the best collegiate journalism work in Arizona, California, Hawaii and Nevada. Honorees were awarded certificates May 5 during a luncheon held as a part of the National Writer’s Workshop at California State University, Fullerton. More than 90 awards were presented to journalism students from 18 colleges and universities. Following ASU in the rankings were Cal-State Northridge and the University of California, Los Angeles. The first-place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry, works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Cronkite student winners: Breaking News Reporting First: Ryan Kost, “Man finds body” Feature Writing Second: Jason Ludwig, “Remembering Eric” Breaking News Photography Third: Deanna Dent, “Clinton draws hundreds to rally” Feature Photography First: Brandon Quester, “Two sisters, two lives” Third: Jeremiah Armenta, “Children of the fields” Radio News Reporting First: Mike Daniels, “MLK violence” Second: Michiko Howlett, “Tempe development” Third: Carrie Marchese, “San Tan girl” Radio Feature Third: Michiko Howlett, “Window cleaners” Radio Sports Reporting First: Justin Karp, “D-backs organist” Third: Laura Kennedy, “Synch swimming team” Television General News Reporting First: Ian Schwartz, “Immigration march security” Third: Andrea Evenson, “Election phone spam” Television Feature Third: Elias Johnson, “Rosie’s house” Television In-Depth Reporting First: Ian Schwartz, “Meth houses” Television Sports Reporting First: Elias Johnson, “Special wrestler” Second: Brandon Velaski, “Talking baseball” Third: Jeff Friedman, “Eddie House” Television News Photography First: Ian Schwartz, “Papago Park development” Second: Ian Schwartz, “Immigration march security” Third: Mike Daniels, “Immigration march” Television Feature Photography First: Sam Salzwedel, “Donut peddler” Second: Elias Johnson, “Rosie’s house” Third: Ian Schwartz, “Fire truck repair” Television Sports Photography First: Elias Johnson, “Special wrestler” Online News Reporting First: Sonu Munshi, “Hungry for organic” Second: Stephanie Berger, “BeCareful.com” Third: Mindy Lee, “Business profs earn most” Online Feature Reporting First: Ljiljana Ciric and Michael Lisi, “Children of the borderlands” Online In-Depth Reporting First: Online media class, “Autism Arizona” Second: Online media class, “Dying for the story” Online Sports Reporting First: James Schmehl, “NFL pros return to class” Online Opinion & Commentary First: Chris Sheppard, “Coming home from Iraq” Best Affiliated Web site First: staff, “ASU Web Devil” Best All-Around Independent Online Student Publication First: Online media class, “The Cronkite Zine: Fall 2006”