The OU Daily was honored as having the best large-school college magazine and was named a finalist for best college newspaper in the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2021 Mark of Excellence awards for Region 8, which comprises Oklahoma and Texas, in results announced Saturday.
The Daily’s full list of honorees are:
- 1st place in best student magazine for Crimson Quarterly.
- 1st place in breaking news reporting: Blake Douglas for ‘How Julius Jones’ life was spared, years after conviction, hours before execution’
- 1st place in in-depth reporting: Staff for coverage of the Tulsa Race Massacre centennial
- 1st place in feature writing: Jillian Taylor for ‘Does God hate: 2SLGBTQ+ individuals seek affirmation, face religious condemnation’
- 1st place in podcast: Beth Wallis for ‘Destination: Greenwood’
- Finalist for best all-around student newspaper for The OU Daily
- Finalist in general news reporting: Douglas for ‘OU open records access anything but prompt, reasonable due to flaws, vagaries of state law’
- Finalist in sports writing: Mason Young for ‘Caleb Williams, from BoomSquad to nail salon, is charismatic leader Sooners need for new era’
- Finalist in podcast: Staff for OU Weekly
The Daily’s five first-place winners now advance to national competition among the other regional winners. National winners will be notified in late spring and honored at SPJ’s convention in October in Washington, D.C.
Mark of Excellence winners were judged by industry professionals with at least three years of experience. Schools in the large division have at least 10,000 students enrolled.