College contest finalists announced for the 2020-21 contest

The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists’ student contest organizers have announced the following finalists for the 2020-21 academic year:

Audio Storytelling

The Bachelor nation controversy; Central Connecticut State University; Kelly Langevin, Samantha Bender

COVID-19 Reporting

A stitch at a time; Crescent magazine; Jason Edwards

Behind the scenes of Quinnipiac’s testing infrastructure; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily DiSalvo

Big E acclimates to COVID-19; Central Connecticut State University; Alleah C. Red

CCSU implements new COVID-19 testing plans for spring semester; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

Coronavirus weekly testing is required for students only, parents react online; Q30 Television; Olivia Schueller

Covid-19 travel advisories; Central Connecticut State University; Alleah C. Red

Frontline Owls; Crescent magazine; Jason Edwards

Future teachers take on COVID-19; Crescent magazine; Liz Getts

Phase 2.1; Central Connecticut State University; Amanda Kenny

Editorial/Op-ed

A satirical year in review; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Ashley Pelletier

America’s indifference toward the Black body; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Toyloy Brown III

Content creators; Crescent magazine; Jessica Guerrucci

Could ‘Ginny & Georgia’ be the next ‘Gilmore Girls?’; Q30 Television; Maggie Smith

It’s time for Fairfield students, faculty, and staff to ignite their inner activist!; Fairfield Mirror; Peyton Perry

More grasp for sexual assault awareness month; Southern News; Sofia Rositani

NBC’s, ‘The Voice’ (and America) have a race problem; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily DiSalvo

Feature

Advance your future career with an internship; Crescent magazine; Elizabeth Mercado

Being Black at Quinnipiac; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily DiSalvo

Brooksvale Park’s Sugar Shack sees another maple sugar tapping season; Q30 Television; Hannah Mirsky

Crafts on campus; Crescent magazine; Sarah Shelton

Hero among us; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Chatwan Mongkol

LGBTQ @ QU; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily DiSalvo

Miniature wargaming is new hobby; Crescent magazine; Elizabeth Mercado

Quinnipiac professor appreciation video seen by thousands; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Melina Khan

Real representation; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Ashley Pelletier

The show must go on: Breaking the stigma against theater majors; Crescent magazine; Sarah Shelton

Feature Photo

Magician Joel Meyers took the stage during SPB’s Welcome Week.; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

QU nutrition; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

General Column/Commentary

Controversy behind the closure of WQUN radio station; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Chatwan Mongkol

North Haven students are unhappy with dining hall closure; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily Flamme, Melina Khan

The strike that almost popped the bubble; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Toyloy Brown III

Will anything be normal again?; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

General Reporting

A first-year student reflects on 9/11, a day she will never remember or forget; Q30 Television; Hannah Mirsky

Accreditation potentially at risk; Southern News; Ellis McGinley

Athletic training program may shut its doors to students earlier than expected; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Jessica Simms

BOR proposals ‘stink’ says faculty; Southern News; Ellis McGinley

Contract disputes continue for CSU AAUP; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

Elmer’s Place receives aid from Barstool Fund and GoFundMe to stay afloat; Central Connecticut State University; Samantha Bender

Facilities stressed out amid COVID-19 pandemic; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Emily DiSalvo

Free clothing closet located in the Sage Center; Southern News; Sofia Rositani

Jackson Lamar profile; SCSU TV; Kiara Smith

Lavender graduation honors eight LQBTQ+ students; Southern News; Ellis McGinley

Quinnipiac community responds to new law; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Toyloy Brown III

Quinnipiac University will implement a new parking fee beginning next semester; Q30 Television; Joseph LoGrippo

Spring housing numbers for CCSU decline; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

Sticker by number event; SCSU TV; Kiara Smith

News Photo

MAAC cancels the remainder of its postseason tournament; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

Quinnipiac faculty join the fight for LGBTQ policy reform; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Connor Lawless

Something or nothing — you choose; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

Non-Page 1 Layout

A stitch at a time; Crescent magazine; Muhaymina Plair

Music and the mind: How music can positively affect mental health; Crescent magazine; Muhaymina Plair

Yellow sun at high noon; Crescent magazine; Muhaymina Plair

Sports Feature Story

“Move the chains James” Tyshaun James talks practice-filled fall; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

A pandemic abroad: Heijningen talks volleyball in world of COVID-19; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

Junior Amani Free takes scoring, leadership role for Quinnipiac; Q30 Television; Quinton Hamilton

Scott Burrell reflects on baseball career; Southern News; Mike Neville

Women in sports media; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Toyloy Brown III

Sports News Story

Donyell Marshall’s contract not renewed, coaching search begins; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

Patrick Sellers officially named next basketball coach; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

The monetary toll of a sports-less semester; Central Connecticut State University; Ryan Michael Jones

With plenty still unknown, Quinnipiac men’s basketball takes the court; Q30 Television; Jacob Resnick

Sports Photo

Kevin Marfo dunk; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

Peter Diliberatore yells after missing a goal scoring opportunity; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

Quinnipiac shuts out Yale to claim Heroes Hat and series sweep; Quinnipiac Chronicle; Morgan Tencza

Video Storytelling

#THAT 2020 Emmy Awards recap; Q30 Television; Maggie Smith

#THAT Bachelor breakdown: February 6, 2020; Q30 Television; Caroline Torpey

CCSU seniors will be graduating In person; Central Connecticut State University; Kelly Langevin

Quinnipiac Tonight: Producer switch; Q30 Television; Abby Blackmore

Quinnipiac Tonight: The Real Housewives of Q30 Television; Q30 Television; Ben Labadia, Jamie Manley

The Covid generation: Academic burnout- documentary; Central Connecticut State University; Samantha Bender

Contest winners will be announced in June here on our website.  

Journalism-related job openings in Connecticut & beyond

Finalists announced for 2020 Excellence in Journalism contest

Click the link below to download the word document file featuring the finalists for the 2020 Excellence in Journalism contest. Winners will be announced later this spring after judging has completed.

2020_ContestFinalists_3.10.21

CT SPJ president issues statement on Senate Bill 760

CT SPJ student journalism contest open for entries

CTSPJ College Journalism Contest

The Connecticut Society of Professional Journalists’ annual college contest will be open for entries from April 15 through May 6, 2024.

The contest is for entries of work by student journalists published or broadcast during the 2023-24 academic year. The deadline to enter is 11:59 p.m. on May 6.

The contest categories are:

Reporting
Audio storytelling
General reporting
Feature story
Spot News story

Sports
Sports feature story
Sports news story

Opinion
General Column/Commentary
Editorial/Op-Ed
Photo and video
Feature photo
News Photo
Sports Photo
Video storytelling

Layout
Non-Page 1 Layout
Page 1 layout

STUDENT CONTEST INSTRUCTIONS

You’ll need:

•  A user name and password: Register for a new account on the site here.
• Know which categories your entries are in
• The date each entry was published (must be during the 2023-2024 academic year)
• Your SPJ student member number, if you are a member entering on your own behalf
• A credit card number or check
• A working link to each entry, or a file in one of the following formats

– Audio: .mp3
– Video: .mov, .mp4, .wmv, .avi
– Images: .jpg, .gif, .png, .pdf
– Print: PDF or JPG version of the page the article appeared on

The entry fees are:
– $5 for college SPJ members (membership ID number required)
– $10 for non-members and college media outlets paying for entries

New this year: If you’re paying with a credit card, you’ll be redirected to the third-party payment platform Stripe.
If you do not see your publication on the entry list, please contact contest clerk Kathleen Farmer at kathleenctspj@gmail.com.

STEPS TO ENTER

– Register for an account on the contest site here
– Log in to the site using your new account.
– From the Main Category drop down menu, select “College Contest.”

The work must have been published online or in print, or broadcast or streamed.

While the entries must be from the 2023-24 academic year, a technical error on the website makes it so that you MUST enter the year 2023 on the contest site. (Judges will verify that the work was published/broadcast during the 2023-24 academic year).

Contest winners will be announced on our Facebook page and on our website in June. Certificates will be mailed out to all winners through their school.

Safety tips for Connecticut journalists

The next few days or weeks in Connecticut have potential to be heated and difficult for journalists out in the field. 

The FBI has warned of armed protests in major cities across the country leading up to Wednesday’s inauguration, and we know the CT State Police have been working tirelessly with the governor’s office, Capitol Police and other agencies to ensure safety in Hartford. 

The state police have also said they will provide a safe staging area for the media during Sunday’s planned protest in Hartford. If we get any more information, we’ll be sure to share it with you. 

In the meantime, here are some tips from Poynter on how to cover safety and unrest. The Committee to Protect Journalists also offered safety guidelines on covering events leading up to the inauguration and has this handy risk assessment form to review in your newsroom. 

Finally, here’s a PDF fact sheet from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press on how to protect yourself when covering a protest. 

Basic takeaways: 

• Put your safety first, not the story

• Do not go alone

• Have ID and credentials readily available, but be careful how/where you display them (lanyards are often discouraged)

• Bring only the bare minimum equipment needed for the job

• Be respectful and follow police orders

• Stay in constant contact with your editor/newsroom. If you are an independent journalist, make sure a friend/colleague knows where you are & how long you plan to be there

• Keep contact numbers for key editors/company lawyers/bail bondsman on a card in your pocket or written on your arm (do not rely solely on your cell phone)

• Constantly scan your surroundings and plan an escape route

• If possible, carry a bottle of water with you (to rinse eyes after teargas). A First Aid kit is good too.

• Remember: Police do not have a right to search or seize your equipment

The RCFP offers a legal hotline at 800-336-4243 or rcfp@hotline.org. You can also get support from the SPJ Legal Defense Fund to defend freedoms of speech and of the press and to ensure access to government information.

Our hope is that all journalists will be safe this weekend (and in the future). 

Connecticut SPJ 2020 Excellence in Journalism Contest

The 2020 Excellence in Journalism contest is now open for entries! The deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 16! Feb. 12, 2021. You can enter the contest at https://awards.connecticutspj.org. The contest is open for items published or broadcast in 2020.

Entry fees are $10 for members (with valid SPJ member number) and $25 for non-members or entries paid for by a news organization. Please contact national SPJ membership coordinator Caroline Escobar by email at cescobar@spj.org or by phone at 317-361-4132 if you do not know your member number.

Read more about this year’s contest here, including what categories are available and what circulation class your news outlet belongs in. 

For questions about the Connecticut contest, please contact me at kathleenctspj@gmail.com.

Minutes from Nov. 15, 2020, CTSPJ special board meeting

CT SPJ special meeting 

Sunday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m., via Zoom 

MINUTES

1. Call to order – Called to order at 2:06 p.m. by Viktoria Sundqvist

 Present: Lindsay Boyle, Mike Savino, Jordan Fenster, Mercy Quaye, Viktoria Sundqvist, Bruno Matarazzo, Ayah Galal, Jackie Stoughton, Jeniece Roman, Jodie Gil, Aaron Johnson

2. Plan of Action in response to RC’s request for 3 board members to resign:
   1. Review of letter 
   2. Review national’s response 
   3. Discussion 
   4. Action: Vote of confidence in board leaders 

-Jordan Fenster moves for us as a board to make a vote of confidence in order to express solidarity with and support for our board leaders, Viktoria Sundqvist, Mike Savino and Bruno Matarazzo

-Jodie Gil seconds the motion

-Motion passes 8-0 (with 3 abstentions)

-Mercy Quaye moves to pursue signatures from our chapter membership on a letter in support of our current board leadership: Viktoria Sundqvist, Mike Savino and Bruno Matarazzo

-Jordan Fenster seconds the motion

-Motion passes unanimously

3. Legal representation: 
   1. Review list of lawyers who specialize in non-profit governance
   2. Review hourly rates 
   3. Action: Vote on allocating funds for legal representation for the board 

-Discussed; no action taken

4. Adjourn.

-Viktoria Sundqvist moves to adjourn at 3:42 p.m.

-Jodie Gil seconds the motion

-Motion passes unanimously

Minutes from July 12, 2020, CTSPJ board meeting

CT SPJ board meeting

Sunday, July 12, at 11 a.m., via Zoom

MINUTES

 1.         Call to order – Called to order at 11:02 a.m. by Viktoria Sundqvist

Present: Lindsay Boyle, Viktoria Sundqvist, Bruno Matarazzo, Mike Savino, Jordan Fenster, Ayah Galal, Jackie Stoughton, Aaron Johnson, Jodie Mozdzer Gil, Cindy Simoneau

2.         President’s report

-Viktoria runs through her priorities of increasing membership, putting on the regional conference and finding someone new to own the contest

-Bruno Matarazzo is awarded a plaque for his two years of service as president

3.         Treasurer’s report

-Bruno discusses the balances of the board’s accounts (checking, savings, scholarship) as well as the checks that were cashed since last meeting. Checking balance is up a bit because the board did not have its annual dinner as an expense.

4.         Committee assignments

·   Jordan: Dinner, ad-hoc website redesign, FOI

·   Bruno: Contest, membership, finance

·   Ayah: Communications, programming, dinner

·   Mike: FOI, contest, programming

·   Lindsay: Scholarship, ad-hoc website redesign, charter revision

·   Jackie: Communications, programming

·   Aaron: Programming, communications, contest

·   Vik: Membership, contest

-Notes: Treasurer Bruno is chair of the finance committee, Communications Vice President Mercy Quaye is chair of the communications committee and Programming Vice President Mike is chair of the programming committee.

5.         Conventions update

-The board discusses the national conference, which will be held virtually Sept. 12 and 13, and whether to allocate some money to help people cover registration costs as there will be no need for travel stipends.

-The regional conference is slated to happen virtually April 9 and 10 next year, with Roger Williams University serving as the hub of activity.

-Board agrees to watch the national convention closely and learn from the things people do and don’t like.

6.         Scholarship update

-Board discusses whether to hold a virtual event for the winners and what to do with the donations that came in on behalf of late local journalist Jack Kramer.

        -Board will offer a one-time $1,000 scholarship in his name in the spring.

7.         Contest update

-Board discusses what was spent for website fixes related to the contest and votes on the clerk’s pay for next year.

-Bruno makes a motion to set pay for the contest clerk at $2,200, to be paid out in two installments ($1,000, $1,200)

-Mike seconds the motion

-Motion passes unanimously

8.         Racism discussion follow-up – Aug. 20 virtual panel is still on and will feature Quinnipiac University’s Don Sawyer and Connecticut Mirror reporter Jacqueline Rabe Thomas as well as board members Mercy and Jordan

9.         Programming ideas for the year – Board discusses ideas; Mike agrees to ask the national organization whether there is a shared Zoom account CTSPJ can join

10.    Adjourn – Meeting adjourned at 12:02 p.m.

Self-care for journalists

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

If you’re feeling tired and worn down from this seemingly never-ending election season, you are not alone. This has been a trying year, and the additional stress of journalism and journalists being under attack is exhausting.

We all need to take some time to breathe, look after ourselves, and be kind and supportive to one another.

Here are some resources that might help:

Critical Stress Help Sheet from the National Press Photographers Association 

Johnny Webber’s Life Assessment Checklist

Doctors give advice on how to relax from election stress

How journalists can address their own mental health, from the International Journalists’ Network 

The DART Center also offers lots of tips, resources and training for newsrooms

Finally, if you are a journalist who regularly covers traumatic or really stressful events or topics, you can apply to join the Journalists Covering Trauma Facebook group (yes, covering the pandemic counts as trauma). 

Stay safe, and as always, don’t hesitate to reach out to your local SPJ chapter with questions or concerns.