STUDENT AWARDS: Winners announced in SPJ Region 9 Mark of Excellence Awards for collegiate journalism

The Society of Professional Journalists is recognizing the best collegiate journalism in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming with our Mark of Excellence Awards for calendar year 2025.

First-place winners in Region 9 will compete at the national level among other MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions. National winners will be notified in late spring.

MOE Awards entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. Judges were directed to choose entries they felt were among the best in student journalism. If no entry rose to the level of excellence, no award was given.

School divisions are based on student enrollment, including both graduate and undergraduate: Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.

Questions should be emailed to SPJ Manager of Publications and Awards Lou Harry. Duplicate awards may be ordered online.

This list reflects the spelling and titles submitted in the award entries. Region 9 MOE winners and finalists are:

PRINT / ONLINE

Best Affiliated Website

Winner: The Daily Utah Chronicle — by Staff, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: KVCU Radio 1190 — by Staff, KVCU Radio 1190, University of Colorado Boulder

Best Independent Online Student Publication

Winner: The Arapahoe Pinnacle — by Staff, The Arapahoe Pinnacle, Arapahoe Community College

Best Ongoing Student Magazine

Winner: College Avenue Magazine — by Staff, College Avenue Magazine, Colorado State University

Breaking News Reporting (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: Jared Taylor coverage — by The Criterion, Colorado Mesa University
Finalist: Charlie Kirk shot and killed at UVU Turning Point USA event — by Ella Habermeyer, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: The Daily Utah Chronicle — by Staff, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: The Signpost — by Staff, The Signpost, Weber State University
Finalist: The Rocky Mountain Collegian — by Staff, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

Feature Writing (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: The Colorado Trail — by Adam Carlson, College Avenue Magazine, Colorado State University
Finalist: Mama Webecke’ feeds college students, provides a home away from home — by Adri Moon, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Melodies in passing: Students play campus pianos to weave music into everyday life — by Hannah Parcells, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

General Column Writing (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: Columns — by Emma Souza, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist: Columns — by Charlotte Hansen, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: Columns — by Evan Van Leuven, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

General News Reporting (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: Lack of sex education in Utah — by Gracie Stephenson, The Signpost, Weber State University
Finalist: Open carry legal on U Campus — by Teanna Sorensen, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: Filmmakers, leading voices discuss driving change in film at Sundance Film Festival — by Emily May, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

In-Depth Reporting (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: Religious OCD: When faith becomes obsession — by Andrew Bean, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: 5 days and the First Amendment’s future: CSU reinstates free speech policy following weeklong protests — by Allie Seibel, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist: Navigating gender-affirming care at the U — by Abhilasha Khatri, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Personality Profile Writing (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: Be present in your comeback: The Mikayla Willis story — by Kelly Loverso, Wasatch Magazine, University of Utah
Finalist: Brayden Butler’s journey to the Paralympics — by Brayden Ortega, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: How a Logan-based songwriter turned a chronic illness into a path for success — by Laney Hansen, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Sports Column Writing

Winner: My history with the ‘Holy War’ — by Sam Foster, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Sports Writing (Large, 10k+ students)

Winner: NIL effects on Weber State — by Collyn Cowles, The Signpost, Weber State University
Finalist: Red Rocks celebrate Alumni Night with return of Avery Neff and a win over Arizona — by Sean Stetson, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: What Russia’s ‘blacklisting’ of BYU could mean for NBA prospect Egor Demin — by Sam Foster, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY, ART, GRAPHICS & MULTIMEDIA

Feature Photography

Winner: Dia de Los Muertos dance — by Katelynn Ortega, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist: Dazzling dancers — by Teagan Meens, Vicente Valadez, The Criterion
Finalist: SLC ‘Nines’ harbors community for all — by Luke Larsen, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

General News Photography

Winner: Western Slope wildfires — by Enrique Quintero, The Criterion, Colorado Mesa University
Finalist: Charlie Kirk vigil at Colorado State University — by Aria Paul, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University

Illustration

Winner: Welcome to the Science Circus — by Emilie Bailey, Wasatch Magazine, University of Utah
Finalist: The Health & Medicine Issue — by Mary Allen, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Photo Essay/Slideshow

Winner: The Aesthetics of the Farmers Market — by Aiden Lundien, College Avenue Magazine, Colorado State
Finalist: Paranormal Cirque plays Aurora — by Payton Cordova, KVCU Radio 1190 Website, University of Colorado Boulder
Finalist: Academia in the Arctic — by Marco Lozzi, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Sports Photography

Winner: A bear is loose in Provo — by Sienna Puckrin, The Daily Universe
Finalist: First touchdown in the home opener — by Cait Mckinzie, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist: Buffs make history with big win against Lady Raiders — by Bronte Moore, KVCU Radio 1190 Website, University of Colorado Boulder

AUDIO

Podcast (Conversational)

Winner: The Full Extent: U.S. gunboat diplomacy in Latin America with David De Micheli, Kaeden Thomas, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah
Finalist: Open Orbit — by Hunter Pratt, KVCU Radio 1190, University of Colorado Boulder
Finalist: Fringe Not Cringe — by Cecily Ross, UStories, University of Utah

Podcast (Narrative)

Winner: Can of Worms — by Cambria Thorley, Max Rhineer, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Radio Feature

Winner: Rock climbing in Moab, Utah — by Jenny Ellis, KDNK/Rocky Mountain Community Radio Regional Roundup, University of Colorado Boulder
Finalist: Aya’s Story: Online doxxing and the path to recovery — by Juanita Hurtado Huérfano, KVCU Radio 1190, University of Colorado Boulder
Finalist: Where guide dogs begin — by Lily Sharp, KGNU Community Radio, University of Colorado Boulder

Radio In-Depth Reporting

Winner: The story behind Denver’s teacher walkout — by Spencer Stepp, KVCU Radio 1190, University of Colorado Boulder

Radio News Reporting

Winner: CU students receive third-party voting solicitation — by Juliana Krigsman, KVCU Radio 1190, University of Colorado Boulder

BROADCAST

Best All-Around Television Newscast

Winner: Universe Live — by Staff, Universe Live, Brigham Young University
Finalist: CTV Thursday Night News — by Bailey Borkowski, Adam Carlson, Tate Paisley, Noah Madden, CTV Campus Television, Colorado State University

Television Feature Reporting

Winner: Quadriplegic man completes scuba dive training with help from Provo nonprofit — by Ethan Pack, The Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Fan-favorite CougarTail sports new flavor for rivalry basketball game — by Oliva Wettengel, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: BYU student helps Rubik’s cubers find a place in university clubs — by Taylin Galloway, The Universe, Brigham Young University

Television General News Reporting

Winner: Food pantry provides for local community — by Dylan Eubank, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Female filmmakers — by Rachel Ravsten, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Self-defense — by Kiana Aquino, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Television In-Depth Reporting

Winner: By study and by faith: The legacy of Karl G. Maeser — by Universe Live Staff, Brigham Young University

Television Sports Reporting

Winner: What’s next for Olympian and NCAA champ James Corrigan: Fatherhood, faith and the finish line — by Grace Eyestone, Elsa Bray, Daily Universe Sports, Brigham Young University

ALL PLATFORMS

Arts/Fashion Journalism

Winner: Mercury Cafe closes as its slam poetry team represents Colorado at regionals — by Madeleine Lebovic, Clara Normand, Shaundrea Roberts, DU Media, University of Denver
Finalist: Strings of strength: BYU violinist with unique abilities exemplifies trust in God — by Brianne Barrus, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Cropped t-shirt at the BYU Store raises concerns — by Adri Moon, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Campus Reporting

Winner: Gen Z Beyond the Screen — by Utah College Media Collaborative, The Daily Utah Chronicle, Amplify Utah
Finalist, Students express mixed concern over CSU’s new digital billboards — by Claire VanDeventer, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist: Middle East Center responds to budget cuts — by Elle Howell, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Cultural Criticism

Winner: Columns — by Zack Pinter, K-UTE Radio, University of Utah
Finalist: Columns — by Laney Hansen, K-UTE Radio, University of Utah

Food/Restaurant Journalism

Winner: Rescue Food: A homegrown nonprofit that is changing Utah food waste — by Emily LeFevre, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Chocolate factory, cafe hosts international chocolate tasting nights — by Olivia Wettengel, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: 34th annual Hunger Banquet provides new perspective on global hunger problem — by Ellie Lewis, Universe Live, Brigham Young University

Investigative Reporting

Winner: Federal grant cuts stir fear, silence at BYU and universities nationwide — by Ella Habermeyer, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Tax error leaves Provo City School District short $3.7 million, corrected tax rate expected to affect homeowners — by Ella Habermeyer, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: The risk of developing poor body image and eating disorders in college students, missionaries — by Chiara LaVine, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Regional Political Reporting

Winner: Stitching dissent: Mormon Women for Ethical Government quilt their concerns for Utah Senators — by Daegan Beus, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: Young voter crash course — by Ella Habermeyer, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University
Finalist: U faces $19.5M in cuts — by Alina Walker, The Daily Utah Chronicle, University of Utah

Retail/Small Business Journalism

Winner: BYU Sandbox program helps students build successful software tech companies from scratch — by Brooke Christensen, The Daily Universe, Brigham Young University

Science/Environment Reporting

Winner: Mapping myths: Researchers create first milky sea database — by Katie Fisher, The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Finalist, Inversion effects in Utah — by Tenaya Hyde Harrison, The Signpost, Weber State University

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