The Society of Professional Journalists named its national Mark of Excellence award winners today. The Mooring Mast’s Business and Ads Manager, Bjorn Slater, a junior, is one of them.

His financial advice columns, “Accounting For Dummies,” took top prize in the general columns category.

Slater and four other Mast Media staff members were regional winners of the Region 10 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards. This list included The Mast’s A&E editor Alison Haywood, a senior, who won in the in-depth reporting category for her comprehensive look at sexual assault cases at PLU. The Mast’s Photo Editor Jesse Major, a senior, won in the sports photography category for his photo of the men’s cross country team. Junior Sam Horn, The Mast’s sports editor, won for his sports feature on fellow Lute Bobby Daly. Junior Shannon McClain won for her Mast Student Television news package on Garfield Book Company.

Mast Media placed in five regional finalist categories as well. The newspaper and television station’s shared website, mastmedia.plu.edu, was a finalist for the best affiliated website category. Mast Editor-in-Chief Jessica Trondsen, a senior, placed for her Mast Student Television feature on PLU’s Night of Musical Theatre. Alum Brandon Adam, class of 2013, placed in sports television reporting for his profile on Taryn Dee. The staff of Mast Student Television’s weekly news broadcast News @ Nine won for their November 14 episode. Horn was also a finalist in the sports feature category for his Mooring Mast profile on Frosty Westering.

This is a record number of regional wins for The Mooring Mast and Mast Student Television.

Share your thoughts