Ashland Resident Wins Regional Award; Qualifies to Compete at National Competition

2018 Apr 23

Ashland resident Bree Gannon, a junior at Ashland University, was recognized by The Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) for winning first place in the category of small-school Sports Photography in the Region 4 Mark of Excellence Awards last month.

Gannon received the award for her picture from the AU women's basketball national championship game taken in March 2017. Her picture depicts the energy felt in the moment when the team realized that they had just become National Champions where tears of joy and streamers fell and a National Championship trophy was held high.

"The amount of success I've had so far this year is unbelievable," Gannon said. "After hearing that my photos from the 2017 National Championship won in the regional category, I got so excited."

Honorees receiving award certificates and first-place winners like Gannon will compete at the national level, among other regional Mark of Excellence winners from the 12 other regions. National winners will be notified in the late spring and will be recognized at the Excellence in Journalism conference in Baltimore.

"Thanks to the Journalism and Digital Media program for giving me these amazing opportunities," she said. "It is an honor to be a part of this competition. The SPJ's Mark of Excellence Awards are nationally known for recognizing the best in collegiate journalism." The SPJ's Region 4 consists of Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Western Pennsylvania.

Gannon, who majors in digital media journalism with minors in digital media production and public relations, is a 2014 graduate of Ashland High School. She is the daughter of Charles Gannon and Melissa Long.

Ashland University, ranked in the top tier of colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report's National Universities category for 2018, is a mid-sized, comprehensive private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Religiously affiliated with the Brethren Church, Ashland University (www.ashland.edu) deeply values the individual student and offers a unique educational experience that combines the challenge of strong, applied academic programs with a faculty and staff who build nurturing relationships with their students. ###