Students win national SPJ awards

Two national winners, two finalists in Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards

Carolina journalism students Jennifer Carpenter and Walter Storholt were named national winners in the Society of Professional Journalists 2007 Mark of Excellence Awards.

Mark Olexik and Adam Rhew earned national finalist honors.

Collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,400 entries in 39 print, radio, television and online categories this year. Entries were first judged on the regional level with first place winners from each of the 12 regions advancing to the nation competition.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization encourages the free practice of journalism with high ethical standards.

Carpenter was the national winner in TV News Photography for “Davina Jones.” Storholt was the national winner Radio Sports Reporting for “Running Blind.”

Olexik was a national finalist in two categories: TV Breaking News Reporting for “Crane Accident” and TV Sports Reporting for “Swimmer Story.”

Rhew was a national finalist in Radio In-Depth Reporting for “Davina Jones Shooting.”

National winners and finalists will be recognized Sept. 5, at the Mark of Excellence luncheon during the 2008 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference in Atlanta.

“I encourage media executives who are looking for the next wave of high-quality journalists to pay attention to the winners of SPJ's Mark of Excellence Awards.” said Neil Ralston, SPJ's vice president for campus chapter affairs. “These young men and women represent some of the best that journalism programs have to offer, and we're proud to be able to honor them at the national level.”