Chapter wins national SPJ award

PLU's chapter wins student chapter of the year

The Society of Professional Journalists has chosen the Western Washington Pro chapter as the 2007 SPJ National Large Chapter of the Year.

SPJ honors six chapters each year. According to SPJ, "two chapters, one large and one small, are then named as National Chapters of the Year. The awards salute chapters for overall excellence in supporting the Society’s missions, members and the profession."

According to chapter Membership Chair, Oren Campbell, our chapter also won this award in 2001.

Here's how they summed us up: "In the fall of 2006, the Western Washington Pro Chapter successfully offered a Continuing Education Series that has since been copied by chapters in California and elsewhere in the country. The chapter also quickly responded to the news that the King County Journal was folding by organizing a career fair for the displaced journalists. The chapter offered diverse programming to its members and the journalism community, including a conversation with Bryan Monroe, president of the National Association of Black Journalists and the editorial director of Ebony and Jet magazines. Chapter members also successfully lobbied the Washington state legislature and governor in adopting a state shield law."

Read the full press release here.

Among student chapters, Pacific Lutheran Unversity's won the national honor.

In the press release, Nathan Isaacs, former Region 10 Director was quoted as saying: "Whether rallying students against censorship or sending journalism textbooks to the Far East, this small student chapter has been exemplary in pursuing SPJ's missions. This chapter is always among the best in Region 10, including the professional chapters."

Read the student chapter press release here.

The awards will be presented at the National SPJ Conference in Washington, D.C., Oct. 4-7, 2007.