By BU News Service Staff

Boston University journalism students won a raft of awards in the past year for their breaking news and features reporting, and for overall excellence.

Student-run media (BUTV-10, WTBU Radio, Boston University News Service and the independent Daily Free Press) were among the winners of “Mark of Excellence” awards presented by the Society of Professional Journalists, Region I, in late April.

BU’s photojournalism students swept the Boston Press Photographer Association contest, winning “Best in Show” and each first, second and third place entry in the News, Features and Sports categories, as well as several other top honors.

Students, both individually and in groups, also won New England Emmy awards and regional Associated Press awards this spring.

BU News Service, an online-only publication, was named top online news site by Associated Press, Massachusetts/Rhode Island, and the Society of Professional Journalists, Region I. Last fall, BU students’ marathon bombing coverage was nationally recognized by the Online News Association, in both student and professional categories.

“This is proof that our students are job-ready, able to report breaking news, produce web sites, radio, photography and video reports that stack up among the best,” said student awards coordinator and journalism professor Susan Walker.

Michelle Johnson, Associate Professor of the Practice, who oversees archive.bunewsservice.com, said that the site serves as a showcase for all BU journalism students’ work. “We’re really working hard to provide opportunities for our students to practice what they’re learning in the classroom. If a story breaks, they can go out and report it and get published on our site, or by one of our media partners.” BU News Service provides content to CNN Wire, boston.com, WCVB-TV, and NECN, among other media outlets.

The site recently featured coverage of the canonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II, produced by journalism students Kirsten Johnson and Matt Younis, under the direction of veteran broadcaster and BU journalism professor RD Sahl. Honored for coverage of last year’s Boston Marathon bombings, the site produced comprehensive coverage of Marathon 2014.

BU photojournalists dominated the 2013 Boston Press Photographers Association awards. “It was another very strong showing by BU’s photojournalism students in every category of the competition. The results are a tribute to the talent and hard work of our students, and their ability to tell stories effectively in a variety of media.  I’m proud of them and of the fine work they do every week,” said photojournalism Prof. Peter Southwick.

Photojournalism Prof. Peter Smith cited their students’ creativity and hard work. “I think our students had the best year ever.  Their photos and multimedia are very impressive.  The work they have created is evidence of how well our program is doing to produce professionals.”

List of Winners

New England Emmy Awards

College/University Newscast
TV Newsroom – A Final Exam Live Every Week
Boston University
Susan Walker, Director

College/University-General Assignment-Serious News
Winner
Triumph, The Tragedy: Marathon Bombings
Boston University
RD Sahl, Coordinator Michelle Johnson, Web Site Editor

College/University Short Form, Non-Fiction
Winner
Fishy Science
Boston University
Victoria Price, Reporter

Nominees
Adderall Abuse
Boston University
Alexa Dragoumis, Reporter
Altzheimer’s Disease
Boston University
Tiana Bohner, Reporter

College/University Long Form, Fiction
Winner
Welcome Back / Episode: “Theodore”
Boston University / BUTV10
Emily Sheehan, Producer Sam Hayes, Producer Amanda Domuracki, Producer

Nominees
Bay State / Episode 138: “A Cinderella Story”
Boston University / BUTV10
Lee Ann Carluccio, Producer Evan Tuohey, Producer

College University, Sports
Winner
Proud To BU
Boston University / BUTV10
John-Michael Sedor, Producer Christophor Cavalieri, Faculty Advisor

College/University, Commercial
Nominees
COM In A Day
Boston University, College of Communication
Max Belin, Producer Will Dowsett, Producer Greg Huntoon, Producer Aaron Bland, Producer Micha Sabovik, Advisor

College/University, Animation/Graphics/Special Effects
Nominees
A Death In Dallas
Boston University
Patrick Thomas, Reporter RD Sahl, Editor Michelle Johnson, Web Editor

College/University Editor
Winner
COM In A Day
Boston University, College of Communication
Max Belin, Editor/Producer Micha Sabovik, Advisor

Boston Press Photographer Association
(Full list of winners)

 Video/Multimedia First Place, Justin Douglas Saglio, Boston University

Best in Show
Melanie Rieders, Boston University
Photo: Swearing In

News
1st – Taylor Hartz, Boston University
Photo: Firefighters’ Farewell
2nd – Grace Donnelly, Boston University
Photo: Boston Red Sox Win World Series
3rd – Justin Saglio, Boston University
Photo Title: Beacon Street Fire

Features
1st – Melanie Rieders, Boston University
Photo: Swearing In
2nd – Carolyn Bick, Boston University
Photo: One Run for Boston
3rd – Justin Saglio, Boston University
Photo: Vigil for Marathon Bombing Victims

Sports
1st – Michelle Jay, Boston University
Photo Title: Over Board
2nd – Kenshin Okubo, Boston University
Photo: TD Bank Mayor’s Cup Race
3rd – Michelle Jay, Boston University
Photo: Find The Puck

Portrait
1st – Melanie Rieders, Boston University
Photo: Officer Lok
2nd – Kenshin Okubo, Boston University
Photo: Sharon Weissburg

Picture Story
1st – Dominique Riofrio, Boston University
Photo: Pacha Mama
2nd – Taylor Hartz, Boston University
Photo: Firefighters’ Farewell

Video/Multimedia
1st – Justin Douglas Saglio, Boston University
2nd – Carolyn Bick, Boston University
3rd – Kathryn Campbell, Boston University

Society of Professional Journalists, Mark of Excellence, Region I

Online News Reporting
Staff of BU News Service
Triumph, then Tragedy, the Boston Marathon Bombings

Television, Breaking News Reporting
Staff of BU News Service & BUTV
Boston Marathon Bombings

Best Digital-Only Student Publication
Staff of BU News Service
Michelle Johnson, Anne Donohue, Directors

Best Student Newspaper
Daily Free Press

Breaking News
Finalist- Daily Free Press- Marathon bombing coverage

In-Depth TV Reporting
JFK: Tragedy in Dallas; 50 years later
Patrick Thomas

College Radio
Finalist- WTBU

Radio Long-Form Reporting
Massachusetts in Motion- BU Narrative Radio class

Best Magazine
The Comment
BU Magazine Reporting Class

Associated Press Awards, Massachusetts/Rhode Island

College Radio – Hard News Feature
BUTV-10; Massachusetts in Motion

College TV- Breaking News Videography
BUTV-10; Triumph and Tragedy: Boston Marathon Bombings

Public Affairs
Pamoja Together
Anne Donohue, Elizabeth Mehren, Directors

Web Site
Boston University News Service
Michelle Johnson, Anne Donohue, Directors