Two student journalists win SPJ National Mark of Excellence Awards

Fort Worth, TX

5/6/2010

Two TCU student journalists are national finalists—which ranks them among the top three winners in their categories — in the 2009 Mark of Excellence Awards announced by the Society of Professional Journalists.

Julieta Chiquillo was named a finalist in the feature writing category for her TCU Daily Skiff profile of TCU economics professor Kiril Tochkov’s competition published in the TCU Daily Skiff in March 2009. Chiquillo, a spring 2010 graduate, was editor in chief of the Daily Skiff for the past semester.

Ronald Villegas, a graphic arts major who graduated in 2009, was named a finalist in the photo illustration category for his illustration that accompanied an article on the popularity in use of salvia, a legal hallucinogenic drug that is sold over the counter. Villegas, a former photo and design editor for Image, earlier this year was first-place winner in the national Best of Collegiate Design, sponsored by College Media Advisers, Inc., in the headline presentation category and an honorable mention award from the Associated Collegiate Press in the yearbook/magazine page/spread category in the 2009 Design of the Year.

The SPJ winners and finalists were previously recognized earlier this year by receiving first place in one of the SPJ’s 12 regional competitions. Each first place regional winner advanced to the national competition. TCU's first-place winners of the regional MOE Award included former Skiff editor-in-chief David Hall, a spring 2010 graduate, for his online reporting for DailySkiff.com and Chris Blake, who will be TCU News Now sports director this fall, for breaking news coverage with the Daily Skiff.

The student journalists will be recognized Monday, Oct. 4, at the Mark of Excellence Awards Luncheon, which occurs during the 2010 SPJ Convention & National Journalism Conference at the Planet Hollywood Hotel in Las Vegas.

TCU student journalists and their print, online and broadcast publications have received 57 state, regional and national awards in 2009-2010.