Winners of Finley newswriting contest announced
The School of Journalism congratulates the following winners of the Mark Finley Gold Pen Contest for Best Beginning Newswriter for spring 2009.
First place, Steven N. Jury, $750 scholarship;
Second place, Devlin D. Houser, $350 scholarship;
Third place, Whitney J. Freese, $250 scholarship.
The competitors listened to a presentation by Rep. Steve Farley, who represents District 28 in the state Legislature. He talked about the current state financial crisis, the conflicting plans and philosophies dictating the creation of a fiscal 2010 budget and how the situation affects the universities. Students listened to a 20-minute talk, and then asked questions.
They had one hour to write a complete news story and the submissions were blind-judged by professors Susan Knight, Jeannine Relly and adjunct instructor Sarah Gassen.
Each of the competitors, recognized by J205 instructors as being among the promising beginning newswriters of the school, received an engraved pen commemorating the event on April 30.
The contest is named for the late Mark Finley, who established the contest. Finley, a graduate of The University of Arizona, was a journalist and assistant for the publisher of Hearst's Boston newspaper for 17 years.