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Photo by James Brosher

Erin Riley, left, accepted the award on behalf of the IU chapter of SPJ, named best campus chapter in the country during SPJ’s national convention in Atlanta. Elvia Malagon received the Robert D.G. Lewis First Amendment Award for her coverage of an "off-the-record" public speech last spring.

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Indiana University student journalists brought home several honors from the Society of Professional Journalists’ national convention in Atlanta last weekend, including the award for best SPJ student chapter in the nation and a First Amendment award to an Indiana Daily Student reporter who refused to agree to a request to skip covering an open lecture.

IU students James Brosher, Erin Riley, Elvia Malagon, Ashley Freiji, Jacob Kriese and Brian Hettmansperger joined associate dean for graduate studies Amy Reynolds in Atlanta.

The students attended workshops, met working professionals from all over the country and visited the headquarters of CNN. They were honored at Friday’s Mark of Excellence award luncheon, which SPJ hosts to recognize the best college student work.

The IU attendees already knew that the IU chapter had been named the best in the nation. In their written comments, judges called the IU SPJ chapter one that “did it all.”

“They provided solid programming, increased membership and hosted a successful spring conference,” wrote Neil Ralston, SPJ vice president for campus chapter affairs. “On top of that, some chapter members have helped to draft ‘Dave’s Law,’ a proposal named in honor of their late adviser, David L. Adams. If the proposal becomes law, it would increase legal protections for high school and college media advisers in Indiana."

IU’s chapter had been named the best in SPJ’s Region 5 in the spring and was automatically in the running with 11 other student chapters for the national honor. Although it has had a long presence off and on over the years, the IU chapter was resurrected just two years ago with a renewed membership drive and new Web site.

The IU students also knew that sophomore Malagon would be awarded the Robert D.G. Lewis First Amendment Award during the luncheon. As a freshman and IDS reporter, Malagon was assigned to cover former deputy national security adviser Meghan O’Sullivan’s “off-the-record” lecture at a public campus venue. Members of the group sponsoring the event challenged Malagon’s presence. After Malagon refused to leave, organizers cancelled O’Sullivan’s speech. Malagon reported the event and the IDS published several stories and editorials about the situation, as did professional journalism groups and blogs.

Courtesy photo

Junior James Brosher, front row right, was one of 12 college students who formed The Working Press, SPJ’s press corps to cover the convention.

Students also collected two national awards that had been announced earlier this year. The staff of INside magazine won Best Student Magazine and four photographers shared honors for Best Sports Photography.

While at the conference, junior Erin Riley was elected to one of two slots for student representatives on SPJ’s 23-person national board of directors. She will represent students on a national level and act as a liaison between them and the board. Riley said her goal is to increase the number of student chapters around the country, starting with Ball State University in Muncie.

Junior James Brosher spent the weekend working as one of two photographers who were members of SPJ’s Working Press, a cadre of 12 college students who cover the convention’s events for a daily print tabloid and for Web reports. Students apply for the jobs in the spring and receive full access to all convention activities. With only two photographers, Brosher said he was kept busy and often had to shoot more than one session per time slot. He also logged in his reports on his own blog.