The Emory Wheel won a Mark of Excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and six awards from the Georgia Press Association.
Editor-in-Chief Julia Munslow (18C) received a SPJ Mark of Excellence in the category “Breaking News Photography (Small)” in Region 3. Munslow’s photo, depicting students chanting during a protest outside the Administration Building in the wake of pro-Trump slogans chalked across Emory’s Atlanta campus March 2016, ran alongside the story “Emory Students Express Discontent With Administrative Response to Trump Chalkings.” The photo was syndicated by national news organizations, including The New York Times, Newsweek and Atlanta Magazine.
College sophomore Jonathan Peraza leads chants outside the Emory Administration Building during a student protest following pro-Trump slogans that were written in chalk across campus the night before. / Julia Munslow, Executive Editor
Munslow’s photo will go on to compete at the national level against the other 12 regions’ winners. Submissions are judged by “professionals with at least three years of journalism experience,” according to the SPJ. Region 3 includes Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
The Wheel also garnered six awards in the Georgia Press Association’s 2016 Better Newspaper Contest.
Associate Editor Hannah Conway (18C) captured first place in the “Best Entertainment Story” category for her coverage of author Sherman Alexie Jr.’s talk at Emory last April in the story “Sherman Alexie Talks Writing Boldly, Reflects on Grief.”
The Wheel obtained first place and third place in the “Best Review” category. Staff writer Anthony Chau (18C) earned first place with his review of Theater Emory’s November 2016 production of Romeo and Juliet “‘Romeo & Juliet’ Harnesses Beauty in Delicacy.” Staff writer Vikrant Nallaparaju (18C) clinched third place for his review of the 2016 film Inferno entitled “‘Inferno’ Fails to Ever Start Burning.”
Columnist Tyler Zelinger (17B) won second place in the “Best Column” category. In his column, Zelinger explored topics including campus dining and U.S. politics. His March 2016 op-ed “Speech, Not Silencing, Will Defeat Donald Trump” discussing the pro-Trump chalkings was syndicated by Time.
The Wheel staff also claimed second place in the “Best Entertainment Feature” category for a mad lib.
Editor-at-Large | aokluge@emory.edu
Alex Klugerman is a senior from Rockville Maryland in the Goizueta Business School, majoring in Business Administration with concentrations in Marketing, Strategy Management Consulting and Film & Media Management. On the Wheel, he’s previously served as News Editor, Associate Editor and Interim Emory Life Editor. For his coverage of the Migos booking scam, he was selected as a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalist in the Breaking News Reporting category in the 2017 Region 3 Mark of Excellence Awards. He also placed first in the 2017 Georgia College Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest in the category Best News Article Based on Investigative Reporting. Currently, he is involved in the Wheel’s fundraising and planning efforts to commemorate its 100th Anniversary. Outside of the Wheel, Klugerman has interned with CNN in their Mobile + TV Apps product management division and enjoys cycling and travel.
