College of Journalism and Mass Communications students won 12 first-place awards and 11 finalist awards in the Society of Professional Journalists' Region 7 Mark of Excellence Awards Competition on April 11.
Region 7 includes colleges and universities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. First-place regional winners advance to the national competition and a best-in-show award will be given to the overall best entry among all national winners.
The 90.3 KRNU campus radio station staff won Best All-Around Radio Newscast and the 93 Counties podcast won the Podcast (Narrative) category.
The Nebraska News Service staff won Regional Political Reporting with "Welcome to live coverage of Election 2024" and their project with Nebraska Examiner "Views from Election Day 2024 in Nebraska" won the Photo Essay/Slideshow category.
In the Investigative Reporting category, the spring 2024 depth reporting team won first place with "Invisible: Missing Murdered Marginalized Women" and Milana Doné was a finalist with Global Eyewitness project "One farmer at a time: One woman's vision to cultivate community and sustainable agriculture."
The spring 2024 depth reporting team picked up two other first-place awards and one finalist award. Marissa Lindemann and Olivia Reed won first place in Television In-Depth Reporting for "On the border: Sherry Wounded Foot's story," Jordyn Graff and Ruth Bailey placed first in In-Depth Reporting (Large) for "Where's my mom: The case of Cecilia Perez," and Maddie Ames and Meghan O'Brien were named finalists in the same category for "Not a perfect world: Prosecuting domestic violence in Indian Country."
Dominic Ferraro placed first in Science/Environment/Climate Reporting with "Drought, Nebraska Farmers and the Weather Trend Experts" and Maddie Hansen won first in Food/Restaurant Journalism with "UNL Food Processing Center Keeps Making New Food Winners."
Mia Ackermann won first place in Television Breaking News Reporting with "Tornadoes leave path of destruction for Elkhorn residents" and Lauren Penington and Breanna Fanta got first in Breaking News Reporting (Large) with "Outbreak of 19 tornadoes across Nebraska."
In Radio News Reporting, Ariana Garber placed first with "UNL Faculty React to Diversity and Inclusion Office Closing" and Blake Mace was named a finalist with "Severe WX Jumps in Midwest."
Mace was also a finalist in Campus Reporting with Lauren Behn, Trey Marler for "KRNU campus team reporting" and Marler was a finalist in Television Sports Reporting for "Billie Story."
Behn won first in Radio Feature for "Lincoln literacy program opens doors for Nebraska immigrants" and Charlee Sharack was named a finalist for "Native Peoples Upset by UNL's Closing of Diversity and Inclusion Office in the same category."
Katie Lockyear was named a finalist in Television In-Depth Reporting for "The Golden Barber" and Teddy Ball was named a finalist in Radio In-Depth Reporting for "Nebraska's Prison Overcrowding."
In Feature Writing (Large), Naomi Delkamiller was a finalist with "'She's here because she got herself here': The rise of Broken Bow's self-taught barrel racer" and Ryan Luetkemeyer was named a finalist in Sports Writing (Large) for "Nebraska Legislature remains hesitant to embrace online sports betting."
