Winners of Finley newswriting contest announced

The Department of Journalism congratulates the following winners of the Mark Finley Gold Pen Newswriting Competition for Fall 2007.

First place, Heather Trujillo, winning $750;
Second place, Jeremy Hawkes, winning $350;
Third place, Sarah Hazen, winning $250.

Each of the competitors, recognized by J205 instructors as being among the promising beginning newswriters of the department, received an engraved pen commemorating the event on Nov. 14.

The competitors listened to a presentation by David Taylor, a former city planner and now with the Pima Association of Governments. He spoke about what Tucson and Arizona will look like in 30 years, how populations will shift and how citizens should prepare for the future Arizona.

After the presentation and a question-and-answer session, the competitors had one hour to write a news story. The contest was blind-judged by Professors Susan Knight and Kevin Kemper, and adjunct instructor Sarah Gassen.

The contest is named for the late Mark Finley, who established the award. Finley, a graduate of The University of Arizona, was a journalist and assistant for the publisher of Hearst's Boston newspaper for 17 years.

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