04.16.2009
MARSHALL JOURNALISM TAKES TOP HONORS AT SPJ COMPETITION
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Students from Marshall University’s radio station and newspaper picked up eight first-place awards at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 4 conference Saturday, April 4.
Region 4 includes West Virginia, Ohio, Michigan and western Pennsylvania. The awards include 38 categories in online, broadcast and print entries from students at private and public universities. Judges reviewed more than 550 entries from across the region.
WMUL-FM picked up five first-place awards, two second-place awards and two third-place awards.
“Our radio students have established a tradition at WMUL-FM of being able to successfully compete at the national, regional, or state level with other student-operated college radio stations,” said Dr. Chuck G. Bailey, professor of radio-television production and management in the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications and faculty manager of WMUL.
“WMUL-FM student broadcasters won all five first-place awards and nine of the 10 radio awards presented in the five radio categories. This solid performance in SPJ’s Mark of Excellence Contest is further evidence of the quality of the work performed by our talented broadcasting students at WMUL-FM and the W. Page Pitt School of journalism and Mass Communications.”
Senior Adam Cavalier from Montgomery, W.Va., picked up three first-place awards and one third-place award. He received first place for best news reporting – “Big Dips for 50 Years;” best feature – “The Toastman;” radio sports reporting – “Metal versus Wood;” and third place for radio sports reporting – “Byron is Back.”
Sophomore Leannda Carey from Wellsburg, W.Va., earned second place in best news reporting with “Marshall in the Dark.”
Junior Andrew Ramspacher from Dublin, Ohio, earned second place in radio sports reporting for “From Futbol to Football: Craig Ratanamorn.”
Recent graduate Brandon Woolum from Huntington took third place in radio in-depth reporting with his documentary “Marshall is Doomed.”
Station staff earned two first-place awards.
“The 2008 Marshall Football Season Preview” took top honors for radio in-depth reporting, written and produced by Ryan Epling, a graduate student from Wayne, W.Va., and Brian Dalek, a senior from McMechen, W.Va. Reporters were Adam Cavalier, a senior from Montgomery, W.Va.; Andrew Ramspacher, a junior from Dublin, Ohio; and Robert Iddings, a junior from St. Albans, W.Va.
The station also took top honors in radio newscast for its 5 p.m. edition of “Newscenter 88.” Staff members included: Mark Swinkels, international student, Nieuwleoop, Holland; Whitney Thomas, senior, Wheeling, W.Va.; Leannda Carey, sophomore, Wellsburg, W.Va.; Boom Madison, sophomore, Olympia, Wash.; Robert Iddings, junior, St. Albans, W.Va.; Adam Cavalier, senior, Montgomery, W.Va.; Andrew Ramspacher, junior from Dublin, Ohio; Kasha Shull, freshman, Ona, W.Va.; Meagan Sellards, graduate student, Chapmanville, W.Va.; and Ryan Epling, graduate student, Wayne, W.Va.
Staffers at The Parthenon earned three first-place awards and one third-place award.
Senior print journalism major Tom Bragg from Cross Lanes, W.Va., won first place in sports column writing. Bragg is a former executive editor and sports editor.
Graduate student Erin Felton from St. Albans, W.Va., won first place in editorial cartooning. Felton is a master’s degree student in teaching and has contributed cartoons this academic year.
Matthew Sowards, a senior political science major from Salt Rock, W.Va., won first place in general column writing. Sowards writes a weekly column for The Parthenon.
The Parthenon received third place for best all-around daily student newspaper.
“The Parthenon is a public forum, and its strength is its diversity,” said adviser Nerissa Young, who teaches print journalism and film documentary. “It provides an outlet for talented people on campus regardless of their majors. However, credit is certainly due to the reporters, editors, photographers and designers from 2008 who made the newspaper one of the best in the region.”
First-place winners will compete against winners in 11 other regions across the country. SPJ will announce those winners at its national convention in Indianapolis in August.
The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. SPJ was founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi.