Posts by Connecticut SPJ

CT SPJ college contest winners

2023-2024 academic year

The entries this year showcased the strong and important work that journalists at Connecticut colleges and universities are doing, and are an indication of the talent and excellent training that these journalists are going to bring into the workforce in the coming years.

Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to all the students and advisors who entered. 

If you are a student journalist or an advisor to a college publication in CT and you’d like to enter next year, get in touch! Email mshanahan@connecticutspj.org.

Certificates will be mailed to the addresses listed on the entries, unless otherwise requested.

Written reporting

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BREAKING NEWS

First Place:  CT DOJ investigating Quinnipiac PA program’s compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Cat Murphy and Katie Langley

FEATURE STORY

First Place: ‘Emerging’ through art 

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Katie Langley

Second Place: Locked in

Crescent magazine; Jay’Mi Vazquez

Third Place: ‘I felt kind of helpless’: Quinnipiac students from Maine reflect on Lewiston mass shooting

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Cameron Levasseur

GENERAL REPORTING

First Place: Quinnipiac’s $48M hedge fund portfolio

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Cat Murphy

Second Place: University projects enrollment increase

Southern News; Jaylen Carr, and Jay’Mi Vazquez

Third Place: Religious tensions on campus: Muslim and Jewish student perspectives

Central Connecticut State University; Savanna Yelling

SPORTS FEATURE STORY

First Place: Quinnipaiac’s Lexi Morse’s grandparents traveled from Florida for Senior Day

Q30 Television; Gage Kilborne

Second Place: Three titles, a fraction of the recognition

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Ethan Hurwitz

Third Place: Breaking barriers: First female football coach in program history

Crescent magazine; Peter Schmitz

SPORTS NEWS STORY

First Place: What happened to TK?

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Cat Murphy

Second Place: Some CCSU athletes claimed their mental health was ignored

Central Connecticut State University; Kristin Rose

Third Place: Saint Peter’s Peacocks’ postseason buzzer beater over Quinnipiac, second-by-second

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Ethan Hurwitz

Photo/video

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FEATURE PHOTO

First Place: Southern Connecticut Skate University

Crescent magazine; Ty Abdul-Shakoor

Second Place: Wounded Quinnipiac comes up just short against Boston College on banner night

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Peyton McKenzie

Third Place: One step at a time

Crescent magazine; Tyrese Abdul-Shakoor

NEWS PHOTO

First Place: Pro-Palestine and Pro-Israel demonstrators inside Hamden Memorial Town Hall

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Jack Spiegel

Second Place: QTHON raises $141K for local children’s hospital

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Aidan Sheedy

VIDEO STORYTELLING

First Place: Quinnipiac technician raises 2023 National Championship banner

Q30 Television; Andrew Reynolds

Second Place: What to know about Quinnipiac’s three new buildings: Inside look at the ‘University of the Future”

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Jack Muscatello, Cat Murphy

Third Place: Built from the ground up

Crescent magazine; Robert Hahn

Design

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NON-PAGE 1 LAYOUT

First Place: Quinnipiac Chronicle, Volume 94, Issue 2, Pages 10-11

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Peyton McKenzie, Cameron Levasseur, Ethan Hurwitz

PAGE 1 LAYOUT

First Place: Nov. 8, 2023, Page 1

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Cat Murphy and Peyton McKenzie

Opinion writing

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EDITORIAL 

First Place: A campus controversy: Why Chat GPT is an education essential

Quinnipiac Chronicle; A.J. Newth

Second Place: A Sandy Hook survivor’s perspective on redefining gun violence

Quinnipiac Chronicle; Geneva Cunningham

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CTSPJ’s 2023 Excellence in Journalism Contest winners

Each year, the Connecticut pro chapter of SPJ recognizes the best in Connecticut journalism in its Excellence in Journalism Contest.

This year’s entries showcase the important, compelling, entertaining and compassionate work being done by journalists across the state.

This contest also supports the mission of CTSPJ as our biggest fundraiser. We give out thousands of dollars in scholarships to journalism students in or from Connecticut each year, and support other efforts, such as the Legal Defense Fund, CCFOI and CFOG.

This contest is possible because we swap judging duties with an SPJ chapter in another region of the country. A very big ‘thank you’ to all the Connecticut journalists who volunteered to judge the contest of our swap partner, in exchange for their time judging our contest.

We thank you for your support. If you’d like to become more involved in the board and our activities, reach out to any of the board members.

All certificates will be mailed to the winners’ newsrooms, unless otherwise requested.

Announcing the winners of the 2024 Bob Eddy Scholarships

Each year, the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists hands out scholarships intended to foster the journalism careers of qualifying college students with Connecticut ties.

Competition was especially steep for the second year in a row, with entrants from 10 universities in five different states.

Visit https://www.connecticutspj.org/bob-eddy-scholarship-program/ to see past winners.

To support the scholarships that go to these budding journalists, visit https://www.cfgnh.org/funds/bob-eddy-scholarship-fund.

This year’s winners are:

Rachel Shin ($2,500) – Rachel Shin is an English major and Journalism Initiative Scholar at Yale, where she served as editor-in-chief of The Politic: the Yale College Journal of Politics. Her reporting has appeared in The Atlantic, The Nation and Fortune, among other outlets.

Terell Wright ($1,500) – Terell Wright is a senior at Connecticut College studying political economy and history. 

Wright is a reporting intern at The Wall Street Journal. At the Journal, he covers the American economy. Wright is also a contributing reporter for The Day, where he localizes national trends impacting young readers. Additionally, he contributes to Connecticut Public Radio as a New London reporter. Previously, Wright reported as a Dow Jones News Fund intern for the Atlanta Business Chronicle focusing on labor, economics and housing.

Wright is also a New York Times Corps member and Bloomberg Journalism Diversity Program alum. Wright is keenly interested in diversifying news coverage and mentoring aspiring young journalists.

Alicia Tang ($1,000) – Alicia Tang is a junior majoring in journalism and economics at Northwestern University. She is a producer and reporter for her school’s student broadcast, Northwestern News Network, and has published for several national publications including The Fulcrum and United Press International. In her free time, she likes to bike along scenic paths and read psycho-thrillers and memoirs. As a journalist and reader, she’s always hungry for another story.

Sara Bedigian ($1,000) – Sara Bedigian is a junior at the University of Connecticut studying journalism and political science.  She is the editor-in-chief of the Daily Campus, UConn’s independent, student-run newspaper. Before she became editor, she wrote various articles regarding news at UConn and in Connecticut. This summer, she is interning at the Worcester Business Journal, covering real estate, manufacturing, health care and other local businesses in the Worcester, Mass., area. She has a passion for writing and aspires to become a journalist to educate her community about important issues.

Savanna Yelling ($500) – Savanna Yelling is a senior at Central Connecticut State University, studying journalism with a minor in political science. She is the editor-in-chief of The Recorder, CCSU’s student-run newspaper and works as an intern at the CT League of Conservation Voters. After college, Yelling hopes to be an environmental reporter and broadcast meteorologist. She enjoys going to the gym, thrift shopping and hiking.

Connecticut SPJ 2023 Excellence in Journalism Contest judging begins

The Connecticut SPJ Excellence in Journalism Contest, which recognizes the best local journalism from the previous year, is now closed for entries.

Thank you to everyone who entered, and good luck!

Journalists from an out-of-state SPJ chapter will be judging the entries in the next month, and we’ll announce the winners in the spring.

The judging is made possible because CT SPJ receives entries to judge from other chapters.

If you’re interested in judging the other chapter’s contest this year (in April or May) email Martha Shanahan at mshanahan@connecticutspj.org.

Thanks!

Register for the 2023 CTSPJ dinner

Ticket sales are now open for the Dec. 6 CTSPJ dinner at the Hawthorne in Berlin.

Tickets for the event cost $20 for SPJ members and $25 for non-members. Ticket price includes a buffet dinner prepared by Casa Mia and non-alcoholic beverages. Cash bar will be available for individual purchases.

Payment can be made at the door by check, cash or PayPal. Please leave your email to be notified when PayPal is up and running.

Click here to register.

CTSPJ posthumously inducts two esteemed journalists into Hall of Fame

The Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is proud to announce the posthumous induction of two highly distinguished journalists into its Hall of Fame: Denise D’Ascenzo and Lisa Chedekel. Both journalists made significant contributions to the field of journalism and left an indelible mark on the state of Connecticut.

Denise D’Ascenzo, an eleven-time Emmy Award winner, earned her place among the most revered journalists in the state of Connecticut. Her unwavering dedication to her craft and her incredible talent led to her election to the Silver Circle by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 2013. Two years later, she made history as the first woman to be inducted into the Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame.

D’Ascenzo’s career spanned an impressive 33 years as the anchor of WFSB Channel 3. Her charismatic presence touched the lives of viewers across the state, making her a beloved and trusted figure in the world of journalism. Her commitment to excellence and numerous accolades are a testament to her exceptional career.

D’Ascenzo died Dec. 7, 2019, at her home in Branford at the age of 61.

Lisa Chedekel made an enduring impact through her fearless reporting. Her work was characterized by relentless coverage of city mayoral administrations and issues affecting residents from all walks of life. As a reporter at the New Haven Register, she showcased a deep commitment to the betterment of her community through her stories.

At the Hartford Courant, Chedekel’s work was nothing short of groundbreaking. She played a pivotal role in the coverage of the CT Lottery Corp. shooting, which ultimately won the Pulitzer Prize. Additionally, her lead role in the investigation into the military’s flawed mental-health policies led to Congressional hearings and significant policy changes that reduced suicides in combat.

Chedekel’s journalism was recognized with a multitude of awards, including the George Polk and Selden Ring awards, the Worth Bingham Prize from the Nieman Foundation at Harvard, and many more. Her dedication to exposing wrongdoing and advocating for positive change was unyielding.

In her later years, Chedekel co-founded C-HIT alongside fellow Connecticut Journalism Hall of Fame member Lynne DeLucia. As the lead reporter, Chedekel continued her impactful work by exposing misconduct in nursing homes, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations. Her reporting on prescription abuse among nurses and doctors in Connecticut even led to criminal investigations, highlighting her lasting influence on investigative journalism.

Chedekel died Jan. 12, 2018, at the age of 57.

The family and friends of D’Ascenzo and Chedekel will accept the honor at the Connecticut SPJ’s annual gathering on Dec. 6 at the Hawthorne, 2421 Berlin Turnpike, Berlin. At the dinner, the winners of the Stephen A. Collins Public Service Award, the Theodore Driscoll Award for Investigative Reporting and the First Amendment Award will also be recognized.

Click here for more information and to register for the dinner.

CTSPJ offering travel stipends for Vegas conference — apply by Sept. 1

Here’s the short version: If you write a good essay, you could get hundreds of dollars reimbursed for a trip to Vegas.

Details:

We’re happy to announce that the Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists is again offering travel stipends for the national SPJ Journalism Convention.

This year’s conference will take place at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas from Sept. 28-30.

Because we anticipate travel costs may be higher given the location, we have upped our travel stipends for this year.

Professional members of the CTSPJ chapter are eligible for reimbursements, with proof of receipt, of up to $1,200 toward conference expenses. Student members of SPJ in Connecticut are eligible for $750.

To apply, submit an essay of no more than 500 words about why you want to attend the conference, and how you have been, or would like to become, involved in CTSPJ events. That could include anything from helping with judging swaps to ideating and/or supporting programming.

Send the short essay, along with your SPJ member number, to Cindy Simoneau, a past president of the CTSPJ board, at simoneauc1@southernct.edu.

Simoneau will prepare all entries for a blind review by the CTSPJ board.

One professional member and one student member will be selected. The winners must be members in good standing of CTSPJ. New members are welcome to apply.

To confirm your membership status, contact membership@hq.spj.org.

The deadline to apply for the grants is 5 p.m. (ET) on Friday, Sept. 1. That’s a quick turnaround, but it’s always a worthwhile conference.

Please email the CTSPJ president at LBoyle@connecticutspj.org if you have any questions.

CTSPJ’s 2022 Excellence in Journalism Contest winners

Each year, the Connecticut pro chapter of SPJ recognizes the best in Connecticut journalism in its Excellence in Journalism Contest.

This year’s entries showcase the important work being done by journalists across the state. Despite the challenges of the past few years, Connecticut journalists continue to show up, hold public officials accountable and inform the public about their communities.

This contest also supports the mission of CTSPJ as our biggest fundraiser. The board continues to support journalists through professional development programming — most recently at the SPJ Region 1 Conference we co-hosted with Roger Williams University, which brought more than 100 journalists to Rhode Island for two days of programming.

We also give out thousands of dollars in scholarships to journalism students in or from Connecticut each year, and support other efforts, such as the Legal Defense Fund, CCFOI and CFOG.

We normally hand out the certificates at a spring or summer event, Instead, this year, we are planning a networking event for the fall, so we are announcing the winners here. All certificates will be mailed to the winners’ newsrooms, unless otherwise requested.

We thank you for your support. If you’d like to become more involved in the board and our activities, please contact one of the board members.

Announcing the winners of CTSPJ’s 2023 Bob Eddy Scholarships

Each year, the Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists hands out scholarships intended to foster the journalism careers of qualifying college students with Connecticut ties.

Competition this year was particularly steep, with entrants from more than 10 universities in four different states.

To see past winners or learn more, visit connecticutspj.org/2020-scholarship-program/.

To donate to the fund, click here to visit the donation page through the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven.

Without further adieu, we are pleased to announce this year’s the winners, which are:

Madeline Papcun ($2,500) – Madeline Papcun is a senior at the University of Connecticut, studying journalism and human development and family science. Maddie is the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Campus, UConn’s independent, student-run newspaper and has also worked as an intern at both the Connecticut Mirror and the Meriden Record-Journal. After college, Maddie hopes to pursue a career in which she will continue writing. In her free time, Maddie enjoys reading, rollerblading and playing sudoku.

Richard Podgorski ($1,500) – Richard (Ricky) Podgorski is a rising junior at the University of Maryland. He was born and raised in Farmington, Connecticut, and graduated from Farmington High School, where he was president of the class of 2021, captain of a state championship-winning basketball program, editor-in-chief of the school newspaper and lead anchor of its broadcast, the 9:05 news.

At the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, he is pursuing a sports broadcasting degree. He has been involved in a student-led sports broadcasting group called Terrapin Sports Central for three years and right now is its executive producer. He also has worked as a crew member for the Big Ten Student U as well as with ESPN for the production of national XFL broadcasts.

This summer Ricky will be working back in Connecticut as the Sideline Reporter for the Danbury Westerners, a collegiate summer league team of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. He’ll work side by side with the broadcaster to bring a new perspective to the team’s production, and will also create feature packages for the Westerner’s social media.

Juliana Lepore ($1,000) – Juliana Lepore is a rising senior at the University of Rhode Island majoring in journalism and communications with a minor in political science. She currently serves as the editor-in-chief of the Good Five Cent Cigar, the student-run newspaper at URI. She has appeared on “A Lively Experiment” on Rhode Island PBS, as well as moderated the Rhode Island Second Congressional District Forum in October.

Stacey Addo ($1,000) – Stacey Addo is a rising senior at Eastern Connecticut State University majoring in communications. She aspires to work in journalism doing features that tell inspiring stories. When she’s not in class, she’s serving as an editor for the school’s newspaper, working with Eastern’s television station or writing for College Fashionistas. In her free time she loves to read, crochet and enjoy music and theater.

Johanna Wolkoff ($1,000) – Johanna Wolkoff is a rising senior at the University of Maryland, College Park and studying journalism and history. Johanna is focused on studio production, especially in the sports industry. This summer, Johanna is interning for SNY in New York City as a Technical Operations Intern. During the school year, she works for the Washington Nationals, the Washington Commanders, NBC Sports Washington and B1G+.

Travel grants available for national SPJ conference in Washington, D.C.

The Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will again offer travel grants to the SPJ national conference.

Professional members of the CTSPJ chapter are eligible for reimbursements, with proof of receipt, of up to $1,100 toward conference expenses. Student members of SPJ in Connecticut are eligible for $500.

Dubbed MediaFest2022, this year’s conference — hosted by the SPJ, Associated College Press and College Media Association — will happen at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 27-30.

To apply, submit an essay of no more than 500 words about why you want to attend the conference, and how you have been, or would like to become, involved in CTSPJ events. That could include anything from helping with judging swaps to ideating and/or supporting programming.

Send the short essay, along with your SPJ member number, to Cindy Simoneau, a past president of the CTSPJ board, at simoneauc1@southernct.edu.

Simoneau will prepare all entries for a blind review by the CTSPJ board.

One professional member and one student member will be selected. The winners must be members in good standing of CTSPJ. New members are welcome to apply.

To confirm your membership status, contact national Membership Coordinator Caroline Escobar at cescobar@hq.spj.org or 317-361-4132.

The deadline to apply for the grants is noon (ET) on Saturday, Sept. 17.