City College Wins Again!

For the second year in a row, a City College of New York (CCNY) student and HarlemView contributor has won the prestigious Region 1 Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Award for Best Online News Videography.  Anthony Ruiz was honored for “Special Delivery from Atlantic Terminal Squad.” Ruiz, who graduated in January 2022, reported and produced the video in the fall of 2021.  He told a compelling story about volunteers who collect, pack and deliver bags of food to residents in Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Houses. 

City College dominated the online video category. In addition to Ruiz, three of the finalists were CCNY students and HarlemView contributors. Samantha Alvarez was a finalist for her report, Fire In The Bronx. Flora Lennihan was a finalist for her story, Balkan Folk Dancing Brightens Pandemic Life, and Kainoa Presbitero was a finalist for Two City College Students Choose To Return to Campus.

In addition to the video winners, MeiJun Lei was a finalist in the General News Reporting category for her story about fear in the Asian community.

Anthony Ruiz said, “Being acknowledged by the Society of Professional Journalism is an honor and motivates me to continue to pursue the profession!”

The Mark of Excellence Awards (MOE) honor the best collegiate journalism and competitors in Region 1 represent colleges in Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Central and Eastern Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont. 

The awards are judged by journalism professionals and the winners in each category will compete against other regional winners for a national honor. National winners will be announced in late spring. 

The City College winners are delighted and grateful for the recognition of their work.

Anthony Ruiz said, “Being acknowledged by the Society of Professional Journalists is an honor and it motivates me to continue to pursue the profession!”

MeiJun Lei said, “I am honored to be a finalist for this award. I am proud of myself and want to acknowledge everyone who has helped me with this story. I don’t believe in luck, but hard work. And my hard work has finally brought me recognition.”

Samantha Alavarez said, “I am honored to receive an SPJ Mark of Excellence Award as a finalist in the Online News Videography category. Videography and cinematography are my passions, and telling stories that foster positive change in our communities is too. I am happy that my work was recognized as an important story to tell. Thank you!”

Flora Lennihan said, “Thank you to the Society of Professional Journalists for this honor and recognition. I feel encouraged to continue my work as a journalist and documentary filmmaker.”

In 2021, HarlemView’s Managing Editor Susan Thorson won the Best Online Video MOE for her story about the free fridge movement in New York. Samir Dominguez won for Best Online Feature and Sajina Shrestha was a finalist in that category.