The Journal was named best all-around non-daily newspaper of Region 7 by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) last month—just one of the many awards our staff took home during the course 2014.
SPJ Conference
On March 30, The Journal competed against other college-student media at the SPJ conference in Omaha. The paper won in four categories in Region 7, a division comprised of Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa universities.
Photo Editor Natalie Martinez’s photo “Homework in the Streets,” which depicted a tense moment between a Webster student and a police officer during a protest on campus, won in Breaking News Photography. Martinez was named a finalist in the same category for her “Children of Ferguson” photo of a two-year-old girl holding her hands up next to her mother following a Ferguson protest on I-70.
Former Senior Editor Dan Bauman won In-Depth Reporting in the large school division for “On Campus Grenade Launchers, M-16’s and Armored Vehicles,” a story written during his internship with The Chronicle of Higher Education. He was named a finalist for “The Costs and Benefits of an Elite College Chess Team” in the same category, as well as in General News Reporting for “Thanks to Outreach, US Colleges Enjoy Jump in Gifts from Abroad.”
Contributing Writer Sam Masterson won Online Sports Reporting for “Science of soccer: Webster soccer player finds an advantage through flip throw” with Graphics Editors Victoria Courtney and Emily Ratkewicz.
Other conference finalists included Sports Editor Dane Watkins in Sports Writing for “Webster Quidditch Player Copes with Marfan Syndrome, Stops Playing,” Lifestyle Editor Matt Duchesne in Feature Writing for “Kelley and Kelly Get Married” and Contributing Writer Alex Wilking in General Column Writing for “Navigating the City of Fog.”
MCMA Awards
On April 11, The Journal went on to take home 19 more awards and four honorable mentions at the Missouri College Media Association (MCMA) awards ceremony at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville for Division II, which included competitors from Truman State, Northwest Missouri State, Missouri Western, Missouri Southern, Drury and Maryville.
The Journal placed second in Division II for “Best Overall Newspaper” and took home the Sweepstakes Award for accumulating the most points based on the number of first, second, third and honorable mention awards won in the competition.
Websterjournal.com placed second in Website Homepage, thanks to the efforts of Webmaster Brian Pratt, Editor-in-Chief Macy Salama, and Duchesne.
Martinez won Photojournalist of the Year and took third in News Photography for her photo “Protest.”
Brian Verbarg earned an honorable mention in the same category for “Gateway Campus expected in 2016.”
Bauman placed first in Investigative Reporting for his coverage of the Webster chess team.
Former Opinions Editor Cait Lore’s op-ed “Mind Over Media: Data by Design” won first place in the column category, with Watkins’s “To be or not to be an English major” placing third.
Student Media General Manager Megan Washausen took first place in News Writing for “‘Papa’ gives his final lecture.”
In the Photo Page catagory, Washausen and Mackenzie Wilder took first for “Meaning Behind Mask,” and Washausen and Hannah Roling took second for “Fifth grade WiseWriters visit The Rep, write show.” Washausen and Mary Masurat also earned an honorable mention in the same category for “Students help recreate Beatles rooftop concert.” Wilder went on to earn an honorable mention in Feature Photography for “Meaning Behind Mask.”
Duchesne’s feature “Kelley and Kelly get married” took another award, placing second in Feature Writing. In Information Graphic, Duchesne took second for his timeline, “Change at Webster University.”
Courtney took second place in Political/Editorial Cartoon for “Donate to the Webster University,” which satirized Webster’s third annual budget shortfall, and third for “Snowden in Russia.” She also earned an honorable mention in Story Illustration for her cartoon accompanying the column “Kavahn Mansouri vs. The World.”
Masterson placed second in Multimedia Element for “Science of soccer: Webster soccer player finds an advantage through the flip throw” and third for “Student performs for one year with U.S. Air Force.”
Former Editor-in-Chief Gabe Burns and former News Editor Kavahn Mansouri took third in In-Depth News Reporting for “City Council Educational Zoning Coverage.”
The Journal staff also took third in Special Section or Supplement for the centennial-themed spread, “99 years and counting Webster history.”
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