Journalism Students Take Regional SPJ Honors

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln student newspaper, the Daily Nebraskan, and 14 individual students in the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications were recognized by the Society of Professional Journalists at its Region 7 conference in Lawrence, Kan., last month.

The Daily Nebraskan received a Mark of Excellence award as the best all-round daily student newspaper in the four-state region which encompasses Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Individual students who received Mark of Excellence awards included:

-- Dakarai Aarons of Springdale, Md., Sarah Fox of Salina, Kan., Melissa Lee of Lincoln, Shane Pekny of Norfolk and Jill Zeman of Sac City, Iowa, first place for in-depth reporting for the magazine, "Cuba: An Elusive Truth";

-- Dirk Chatelain of Rising City, first in sports writing;

-- Kris Kolden of Plattsmouth, first and second in feature photography, second in general news photography and third in photo illustration;

-- Derek Lippincott of Blair, first in sports photography, second in photo illustration, and third in both feature photography and general news photography;

-- Erica Rogers of Lincoln, first for general column writing;

-- Lincoln Arneal of North Bend, second in sports column writing;

-- David McGee of Omaha, second in spot news photography;

-- Serena Hoffman of Lincoln, third in in-depth reporting (broadcasting);

-- Krystal Overmyer of Omaha, third in general news reporting; and

-- Alyssa Schukar of Lincoln, third in sports photography.

Since 1972 the Society of Professional Journalists has presented the Mark of Excellence Awards honoring the best in student journalism. Judged at the regional and national level, the awards offer 45 categories for print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism. National winners will be honored at the 2004 national convention in New York City. The competition was open to anyone enrolled in a college or university and studying for an academic degree in 2003. CONTACT: Will Norton Jr., Dean, Journalism & Mass Communications, (402) 472-8259 (wnorton1@unl.edu)