UA Projects Honored by Journalists

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Society of Professional Journalists has honored its Northwest Arkansas chapter with two awards related to its work on campus and also named the local chapter as its Small Chapter of the Year.

The first is a Circle of Excellence award for its work with the Lemke Journalism Project and the chapter’s panels on diversity issues.

In support of the Lemke Journalism Project, which is sponsored by the Walter J. Lemke department of journalism, members of the local journalism society worked with high school students over six weeks to produce The Multicultural News, a newspaper addressing diversity issues in Northwest Arkansas.

The local chapter also received the small chapter Circle of Excellence Award for campus relations. A mentoring program created by the chapter paired university journalism students with local professionals during the spring semester. The chapter also sponsored a variety of panel discussions about the news coverage by journalists about public issues such as the gay community, the portrayal of African Americans after Hurricane Katrina, and the recent immigration demonstrations.

Also in the spring, the chapter gave a $1,000 scholarship to a journalism student, and continued its contributions to the University of Arkansas Foundation toward establishing an annual $1,000 scholarship that will be presented in perpetuity.

All of this led to the local chapter also being honored as the national society’s Small Chapter of the Year.

"We could not have accomplished the things we did without the support the local community gives us during the Northwest Arkansas Gridiron Show," said Katherine Shurlds, UA journalism instructor and past president of the local Society of Professional Journalists chapter. The Gridiron Show is an annual cabaret that satirizes local, state and national politics and culture, and is produced with the UA chapter of the American Association of University Women. "The proceeds from the show fund all of our activities throughout the year, and it also serves to bring us together as journalists."

Shurlds credited the work of the members of the local chapter and especially the officers who served during 2005-06: UA alumnus Jeff Smith, who now works for Procter & Gamble; Jeff Niese of The Morning News; and UA alumna Michelle Parks of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

"Although we have one of the most competitive media markets in the nation," Shurlds said, "we're very lucky to have journalists who are willing to support an organization that serves others, as well as offers a way for us to improve our skills."

Christine Tatum, the society’s national president-elect, said, "These awards represent tireless hours of journalism advocacy, which is desperately needed right now. We honor these chapters because they work incredibly hard to deliver top-notch professional training to journalists nationwide and to help the general public better understand the importance of how a free and fair press vital to democracy."

This year's awards will be presented on Aug. 26 at the Presidents Installation Banquet during the 2006 SPJ Convention and National Journalism Conference in Chicago. Parks, the new local president, will accept the awards for the chapter.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to a well informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.