Lutes win a national Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence award and seven regional awards

It is a great time to be a student journalist at PLU. On May 1, 2013, PLU’s student newspaper the Mooring Mast was notified of a national, first place, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Mark of Excellence award for in-depth reporting for small universities. This followed the Region 10 Mark of Excellence Awards, where students took home seven awards in total, three for first place.

The awards honor the best of collegiate journalism. The 2012 competition received more than 4,600 entries.

After receiving first at the Region 10 level, The Mooring Mast went on to nationals receiving first place yet again for its coverage of the PLU student conduct system. [1] [2] [3]

National Mark of Excellence Award winners are chosen from the first-place category winners in each of SPJ’s 12 regions. PLU is part of Region 10, which comprises Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

Heather Perry ’13, was among the winners. She received two individual first place awards for her photography a photo she took while working for the News Tribune during the 2012 election night (bottom right) and a photo she took for the Peninsula Gateway in Gig Harbor, where she served an internship last summer under the fellowship program.

Two sports reporters, Justin Buchanan ’12 and Nathan Shoup ’13, received a third place award for a newspaper package they produced for the Mooring Mast on Max Beatty—the PLU baseball player who survived cancer. Jessica Trondsen ’14, was recognized for the obituary she wrote honoring PLU Professor Kathlyn Breazeale.

SPJ will recognize the Mooring Mast and all first-place national winners at the Student Union event at Excellence in Journalism 2013 (EIJ13) in Southern California, August 24 to 26.