UFCJC Student Journalists, Alumni and Faculty Honored in the 2022 SPJ Florida Pro Sunshine State Awards Competition

University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) student journalists, alumni and faculty were recognized in the 2022 Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Florida Pro Sunshine State Awards competition. The awards honor outstanding journalism created in 2021.

First place winners include:

• College Journalist of the Year: Meleah Lyden, B.S. Telecommunication 2022, of Fresh Take Florida and WUFT
• Adviser of the Year: Ted Bridis, UFCJC Rob Hiaasen Lecturer in Investigative Reporting and Fresh Take Florida coordinator
• Best News Story: Corbin Bolies, B.S. Journalism 2022, of Fresh Take Florida for “Felon Who Won GOP Congressional Primary Never Applied for Right to Hold Political Office”
• Best Serious Feature: Elise Elder, B.S. Journalism 2022, of Fresh Take Florida for “Former NYPD Officers in Florida Heralded by DeSantis Include Surprises.” This story also won first place in the 2021-2022 Hearst Journalism Awards National Investigative Reporting category.
• Best COVID-19 Coverage: Elisabell Velazquez, B.S. Journalism 2022, of Fresh Take Florida for “Florida’s College Football Stadiums Have Been Packed, But So Far No Apparent Pandemic Outbreaks”
• Magazine Serious Feature: Moni Basu, UFCJC Michael and Linda Connelly Lecturer for Narrative Fiction, for Flamingo Magazine’s “Drivin’ the Dixie Highway: How Florida’s Dream Road Turned to Dust“
• Newspaper Beat Reporting – Underrepresented Communities: Ana Goni-Lessan, B.S. Journalism 2010, and Christopher Cann, B.S. Journalism 2021, of the Tallahassee Democrat for “Black Teens in Survival Mode”
• Food & Travel Writing: Moni Basu and Jenna Alexander for Flamingo Magazine’s “The Road Less Traveled”
• Light Feature Reporting: Katie LaGrone, B.S. Telecommunication 1999, and Matthew Apthorpe for WFTS-TV for “Finding His Voice”

Second place winners include:

• Best News Story: Tristan Wood, B.S. Journalism 2022, of Fresh Take Florida for “FSU Determines Three Professors Guilty of Sexual Misconduct with Students
• Second place – Best Coverage of Race & Underrepresented Communities: MacKenzie DiLeo, B.S. Journalism 2022, of WUFT News for “Porters Community Residents Are Growing Tired Of Noise And Dust Coming From Neighboring Cement Companies”
• Radio Investigative Reporting: Sky Lebron, B.S. Telecommunication 2019, and UFCJC Master’s student Dylan Klempner, of WUFT News for “Gainesville City Leaders Make a Push to Help Black Families Hold Onto Their Property”
• Radio Continuing Coverage or Series: Sky Lebron, B.S. Telecommunication 2019, of WUFT News for “Rural Broadband Series”
• Newspaper Non-Deadline News Reporting: Ana Goni-Lessan, B.S. Journalism 2021, and Christopher Cann, B.S. Journalism 2021, of the Tallahassee Democrat, for “’It’s Breaking Them:’ Poverty and Gun Violence”
• Investigative Reporting – Series: Katie LaGrone, B.S. Telecommunication 1999, and Matthew Apthorpe, of WFTS-TV for “Unaccompanied and Unwanted in Florida”

Third place winners include:

• Best Radio Newscast: Meleah Lyden, B.S. Telecommunication 2022, WUFT News “The Point” newscast Oct. 26, 2021
• Best Coverage of Race & Underrepresented Communities: Master’s student Hope Dean of Fresh Take Florida for “Florida Black Man Shot By White Officer In 2001 Still Waiting On Payout From His City”
• Newspaper Feature Reporting: Natalia Galicza, B.S. Journalism 2022, of the Miami New Times for “The Party’s Over!”
• Newspaper Best Reporting – Science and Technology: Max Chesnes, B.S. Journalism 2021, of the TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers for “Max Chesnes Collection”
• Best Use of Sound: Caitie Munoz, B.S. Journalism 2017, and Merritt Jacob of WLRN for “For Survivors of Trauma at School, Pandemic is More of a Disruption”
• COVID 19 Feature Reporting: Katie LaGrone, B.S. Telecommunication 1999, and Matthew Apthorp of WFTS-TV for “Inside TGH”

The SPJ Sunshine State Awards are presented in partnership with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists – South Florida Chapter, the National Association of Black Journalists – South Florida Chapter, and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists. The awards were presented at the Sunshine State Awards ceremony at the NSU Museum of Fort Lauderdale on Aug. 27.

Posted: August 29, 2022
Category: Alumni News, College News, Student News
Tagged as: Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) Florida Pro Sunshine State Awards