USU Journalism Students Win Regional Mark of Excellence Awards

Utah State University Journalism and Communication students took first place in several television categories in the Society of Professional Journalists’ regional Mark of Excellence Awards again this year.

Like years past, USU Aggie JCOM students won first place in every television category, except one they did not enter. The awards were announced at the SPJ region banquet in Salt Lake City on April 13, and students were in attendance from colleges and universities in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.

The awards were announced in team, collaboration and individual events.

The USU JCOM student teams won the Best All-Around Television News Magazine for the Cache Rendezvous and Best All-Around Television Newscast for an A-TV News program airing April 18, 2023.

Individual USU student awards went to Kainoa Johnson, a finalist in Television General News Reporting for his “ChatGPT Hits Campus.”

Anna Johnson’s first place award was in the Television General News Reporting for her story on the “Wild Turkey Invasion.”

Hannah Nelson’s top award was in Radio News Reporting for her “Dying Great Salt Lake.” The assignment was part of a JCOM multimedia class.

Clayre Scott’s won Television Sports Reporting with a piece titled “Are Fans Going Too Far?”

Scott and Johnson collaborated to win the Television In-Depth Reporting award for “Losing Our Lifeblood.”

The winners’ work will advance to the SPJ’s national contest, with winners announced in fall 2024.

A-TV Newscast adviser Brian Champagne attended the conference to accept the awards for his students.

“It was a great day any time Aggies see their hard work pay off,” he said. “It’s fulfilling for both of us. When they work hard and apply what they’ve learned, they get great results. The future of broadcast journalism is sound with them entering the workforce.”