By Kristen Rapin, kr323705@ohio.edu

ATHENS, Ohio (April 30, 2009) —Ohio University students won six awards at the Society of Professional Journalists Region 4 Mark of Excellence Award ceremony held in Columbus April 4.     

Entries from The Post received all six honors. First place winners were Charles Yesnczki and Brock Fowler, for Breaking News Photography; and Emilie Schneider, for Breaking News Reporting. Second place winners were Katie Carrera, for Sports Writing; and Ashley Herzog, for General Column Writing. Third place honors were given to Matt O’Donnell, for Sports Writing; and Charles Yesenczki, for General News Photography.

Schneider, whose piece was entitled “Ohio University police lieutenant talks down unidentified man threatening to kill himself in Baker Center,” wasn’t aware she won the award. “I found out that I won on Twitter, so I was pretty surprised and honored,” said Schneider.

The first-place finishers will compete against winners from across the country in August at the national SPJ conference in Indianapolis for national-level Mark of Excellence Awards.

Each year, the SPJ awards the best student journalists with its annual Mark of Excellence Awards in 39 different categories. At the region four competition students from across Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania competed for top journalism honors in print, broadcast and online media as well as photojournalism.

“We’re very pleased with the awards that Ohio University took home this year,” said Evan Millward, president of the Ohio University chapter of the SPJ. “These students further solidified our university’s reputation as a leader in journalism education and training throughout the state and the Midwest.”

The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

For more information about OU’s chapter of SPJ, visit http://ohiouspj.blogspot.com/2008/12/2009-spj-announcements.html.