2016 Excellence Awards Announced

We’re proud of the recognition our students get from outside entities, from their Emmy Award nominations to their Online News Association prizes. But every year we convene our own people–J-School teachers and alums–to decide whom they want to single out for outstanding work that exemplifies what the School itself most values. These are the Excellence Awards, given by the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism to recognize student journalism that combines professional quality with public importance.

Here are the 2016 winners:

Randy Shilts Memorial Award for Exceptional Reporting

Melissa Batchelor Warnke, UC Harassment Inquiry Shows System’s Shortcomings, Faculty Say (San Francisco Chronicle)

Lucas Waldron, Oakland’s Perfect Storm (East Bay Express)

Robert Whittington Award for Exceptional Reporting

Libby Leyden, After Her Own Tragic Loss, Lorrain Taylor Charts a Path for Mothers Who Have Lost Children to Gun Violence (Oakland North)

Lacy Roberts, Luisa Conlon, and Hanna Miller, What It’s Like to Leave Iraq for a Life in America (The Atlantic)

Felker Award for Excellence in Long-Form Print Journalism

Mallory Pickett, One Swede Will Kill Cash Forever”ÓUnless His Foe Saves It From Extinction (WIRED)

Wayne F. Miller Award for Excellence in Photojournalism

Martin Totland, The Mechanics of Extinction: Rhino Poaching in Mozambique

North Gate Award for Excellence in Video Reporting and Production

Gina Pollack, Undue Burden

North Gate Award for Excellence in Audio Reporting and Production

Laura Klivans, Imaginary Friends: Helpful or Harmful?

Jessica Lum Memorial Award for Excellence in Multimedia Reporting and Production

Rachel Hiles and Nina Zou, Chasing Lithium

North Gate Award for Excellence in Documentary Production

Deana Mitchell, Before Dawn/After Don

Romin Johnson, Paparon

Daphne Matziaraki, 4.1 Miles

Edwin Bayley Prize for Excellence in Government or Political Reporting

Melina Tupa, The Search

Knight Award for Best Piece of Narrative Journalism on a Science or Environmental Subject

Rachel Hiles and Nina Zou, Chasing Lithium

Gobind Behari Lal Award for Excellence in Reporting on a Science or Health Related Story

Laura Klivans, Imaginary Friends: Helpful or Harmful?

Reva and David Logan Prize for Excellence in Investigative Reporting

Nadine Sebai, Outbreak

Susan Rasky Award for Journalistic Excellence

Melina Tupa, The Search

Alumni and Faculty Judges

Orlando Bagwell, Graduate School of Journalism

Casey Capachi, CNN

Julia Chan, CNN

Teresa Chin, Youth Radio

Emma Cott, New York Times

Nancy DeVille, Freelance Journalist

Edwin Dobb, Graduate School of Journalism

Linnea Edmeier, Capital Public Radio

Deirdre English, Graduate School of Journalism

Caitlin Esch, Marketplace

Kim Geiger, Chicago Tribune

Wendi Jonassen, Fusion

Talia Kennedy, Apple

Queena Kim, KQED

Bo Hee Kim, Vox

Robert Lewis, WNYC

Ken Light, Graduate School of Journalism

Sarah McClure, Fusion

Jessica Meyers, Boston Globe

Lillian Mongeau, The Hechinger Report

Samson Reiny, NASA

Ian Sherr, CNET

Brian Storm, MediaStorm

Heather Tuggle, ABC 7, San Francisco

Matt Wheeland, Freelance Journalist