Brigham Young University journalism students earned several first-place honors in the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Region 9 Mark of Excellence Awards on April 8.
The annual competition celebrates the best in student journalism across Utah, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico.
Several of BYU’s first-place entries will now advance to the national level of competition.
Students won first place in the following categories:
- Sports Writing – A profile of former BYU quarterback John Beck by Kellen Hansen
- TV General News Reporting – Chloe Peterson’s report on international media coverage during the 2024 U.S. election in Washington, D.C.
- Best All-Around Magazine – The Daily Universe
- Best All-Around TV Newscast – Universe Live
- Best All-Around TV Newsmagazine – Pathway to Education: Breaking Ground in Ghana
- Food/Restaurant Reporting - Camylle Callahan Schafer's article on a BYU culinary student
- Investigative Reporting – A capstone project on how Gen Z consumes news by Belle Lewis
- Regional Political Reporting – Daegan Beus’s report on a women’s rally for reproductive rights
- Retail/Small Business Journalism - Brooke Christensen's article on Moon's Rare Books
In addition to these first-place wins, BYU students were named finalists in several other categories. According to Daily Universe news director Melissa Gibbs, BYU had nine winners and eight finalists this year.
“Winning or being named a finalist in the SPJ MOEs is a huge accomplishment for students because the awards honor the best in student journalism,” Gibbs said. “The fact that we had so many students named winners or finalists is a testament to the high caliber of our journalism and sports media program here at BYU.”
Gibbs said BYU students have consistently performed well in the competition over the past several years. In 2024, the program had seven winners and more than a dozen finalists.
The SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards are judged regionally, with winners advancing to a national competition later this year.
BYU competes in Region 9, which includes universities from Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. There are 12 regions total across the country.
Gibbs said that BYU Journalism and Sports Media students stand out from others because of their values. She emphasized that BYU’s faith-based education allows Daily Universe and Universe Live creators to approach stories with integrity.
“I think the thing that sets our students apart is their integrity and ethics, along with a faith-based perspective,” Gibbs said. “Our students are learning to develop professional objectivity, but they can also bring an understanding of faith, values and morality, which can help them approach stories with empathy and sensitivity.”
She said students’ storytelling goes beyond technical proficiency, reflecting a deeper commitment to their communities.
“As I’ve watched students work on the stories that won awards, I’ve noticed them develop a concern and care for the community around them,” Gibbs said. “They truly care about their school, city, state and nation.”
Chloe Peterson, TV General News category winner, echoed that passion.
“I feel like a lot of people might write off journalism and say that it's a dying craft, but I feel like these student awards show that people are still interested in this craft," Peterson said. "It helps me have hope for the future.”
Students involved in the investigative capstone on Gen Z’s news habits shared how meaningful the recognition felt.
“It just felt so validating,” Candace Contreras, a BYU communications student, said. “It was really nice to see that people appreciate what we're putting together, and that hopefully a lot of news companies or news stations can start implementing these ideas that we put together.”
Belle Lewis, who also contributed to the project, explained how these projects will help shape the industry in the future.
“For them to award a project like ours, like Gen Z and journalism, what they're saying is, this is a process that we need to be invested in," Lewis said. "This is something that we need to care about, because this is the future of news,” Lewis said.
Gibbs said awards like the SPJs also serve as a powerful launchpad for students entering the workforce.
“Awards like these demonstrate that our program has a high level of expertise and credibility, which will hopefully open doors and opportunities for our students in the program,” Gibbs said.
She said she is proud of her students — not just for their achievements, but for who they are becoming.
“Our students not only work hard to create accurate and truthful content, but they are also amazing storytellers who really put heart into the stories they tell,” Gibbs said. "I think that is reflected in the quality articles and videos they produce, which is recognized by awards like the SPJ MOEs.”
National winners of the SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards will be announced later this year.