The Corsair Wins SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards

SMC’s “The Corsair” & Staff Win 2022 Region 11 Mark of Excellence Awards from Society of Professional Journalists

SANTA MONICA, CA—The Corsair, Santa Monica College’s student-run media outlet—and its staff—has won three Region 11 2022 Mark of Excellence Awards (MOE) awards from The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) which recognizes the best collegiate journalism (including both two-year and four-year institutions). SPJ’s Region 11 comprises Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, and Mariana Islands. First-place winners will go on to compete at the national level among other MOE winners from the 12 SPJ regions. The Region 11 MOE winners were announced on May 1.

The Corsair’s Mark of Excellence wins are as follows:

• Winner, Breaking News Photography: Danilo Perez, 'Antiracism Protestor Pushed by LAPD at LA City Hall'
• Winner, Best Affiliated Website: The Corsair Staff
• Winner, Corbin Gwaltney Award for Best All-Around Student Newspaper, Large: The Corsair Staff

• Finalist, Feature Photography: Ee Lin Tsen, 'World Cup Calls for Shouts and Hollers'

"We couldn't be prouder of the student journalists at The Corsair!” said Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, SMC journalism professor and Corsair faculty adviser. “Being recognized by the largest and most broad-based journalism organization in the country is such an amazing accomplishment. It is clear that the future of the journalism industry is in very capable hands."

MOE Awards entries are judged by professionals with at least three years of journalism experience. Judges chose entries they felt were “among the best in student journalism.” School divisions are based on student enrollment, including both graduate and undergraduate institutions. Large schools have at least 10,000 students and small schools have 9,999 or fewer students.

“I’m always thrilled to see the Corsair staff accomplish work that gathers professional praise through these awards,” said Gerard Burkhart, SMC photojournalism professor and Corsair faculty adviser. “Danilo’s courage and heart in putting himself on the front lines of high value news makes raises the entire industry of social observations. Ee Lin’s strength as a visual story teller is fully evident in her body of work. The staff in general continue to do professional level reporting!”

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The Corsair staff produces a bi-weekly newspaper in the spring and fall semesters, currently available on issuu.com/corsair.website, online at thecorsaironline.com. Follow The Corsair on Instagram @corsairnews.

The Society of Professional Journalists is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry through the daily work of its roughly 6,000 members; works to inspire and educate current and future journalists through professional development; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press through its advocacy efforts. For more information, visit spj.org.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

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