SPJ's Mark of Excellence Awards sees student journalists take home several honors

Lipscomb students earned seven first-place awards, the most among universities in the state of Tennessee.

Logan Butts  | 

SPJ Mark of Excellence

Lipscomb's student journalists are continuing to fill up the trophy case. 

After taking home nine first-place awards at the Southeast Journalism Conference's (SEJC) Best of the South Awards in March, students from Lipscomb’s Department of Communication and Journalism earned 10 honors and seven first-place finishes at the Society of Professional Journalists' (SPJ) Mark of Excellence Awards for Region 12 on April 13.

Region 12 is comprised of universities from Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Lipscomb's students earned the most honors of any university in the state of Tennessee.

Seven students were honored for their outstanding work that was published or broadcast in 2020. The honorees for Lipscomb include: 

 

  • Spencer Boehme, finalist, COVID-19: Video Coverage, “Zoom rooms”

  • Benjamin Browning, winner, Radio News Reporting, “Future of the Nashville Flea Market”

  • Jordan Forbes, finalist, Radio Feature, “Junkanoo Festival”

  • Mckenzi Harris, winner, Best Use of Multimedia, Nashville tornado coverage

  • Mckenzi Harris, winner, Breaking News Photography (Small Colleges), Nashville tornado coverage

  • Mckenzi Harris, finalist, Sports Photography, Mustang touchdown

  • Micah Kennedy, winner, COVID-19: Video Coverage, “Campus quarantine”

  • Micah Kennedy, winner, Online/Digital Feature Videography, “Chapel production”

  • Danny Kotula, winner, Radio Sports Reporting, “Kickin’ it 615”

  • Micah Kennedy, Josephine Ballard, Danny Kotula and Jordan Forbes, Best All-Around Radio Newscast, 11/13/2020 newscast

 

First-place winners will compete at the national level among other regional MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions.

Lumination Network is Lipscomb University’s official student news service comprised of student journalists from all majors who have a desire to submit various forms of media to be shared with the Lipscomb community. The Bison is Lipscomb's student-run radio network.

Lipscomb University’s Department of Communication and Journalism is housed in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences. It offers undergraduate degree programs in public relations, journalism and new media, and advertising.