The Ranger Online was named one of three finalists for the Mark of Excellence Award from the Society of Professional Journalists in the category of Best Affiliated Website for two-year and community colleges.
The national award presented Oct. 4 at the professional organization's annual convention in Las Vegas was for 2009. Journalism sophomore Regis L. Roberts was editor in spring 2009, and Jason B. Hogan was editor for fall 2009, but no one from The Ranger attended the convention to accept the award.
The Communicator Online of Spokane Falls Community College in Washington won the competition, and the other national finalist was The Columns online at Pierpont Community and Technical College in Fairmont, W.V.
The Ranger Online was entered in the national competition after Region 8 of SPJ, which represents Texas and Oklahoma, named the news website as Best Affiliated Website for two-year colleges.
This was the first year SPJ divided entries into separate divisions for two- and four-year colleges. Criteria included design, content, interactivity and use of multimedia tools.
In other competitions awarded this semester, The Ranger placed third in Overall General Excellence in the large-school division of the Texas Community College Journalism Association at the annual convention Oct. 8 at the University of Texas at Arlington.
The awards were for fall 2009 and spring 2010. Laura Garcia was editor in spring 2010. The Ranger Online won second place in website. In individual awards, The Ranger photo team captured three first place awards, a second place and a third place.
Ranger photographer Tyler K. Cleveland, photojournalism sophomore, won first place in Sports Photo and first place in News Photo for "Tribute."
Former staffer Leda Garcia won first place for Feature Photo for "!Recuerdo El Alamo!"
Ranger photographer Rennie Murrell, journalism sophomore, won second in News Photo for "Contractor transported to BAMC after accident."
Former student Scott Bajek won third in Sports Action Photo for "PAC program hopes to build next strongest man."
In other individual awards, liberal arts sophomore Riley Stephens won first in Sports News for "Two nonstudents compete in boxing match."
Garcia won third place for an editorial cartoon.
The staff won third place in Headline Writing.
No one from the staff attended the convention to receive the awards.
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