SFSU's student publications and journalists won 15 awards at the recent Society of Professional Journalists Region 11 Mark of Excellence Competition. The winning entries were for stories from the fall 2001 semester reported by the Golden Gate [X]press, which publishes a newspaper, magazine and online news portal.

The highly competitive Region 11 includes universities from California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii and pits SFSU against larger programs such as those at Arizona State, Loyola Marymount University and Santa Clara University.

The online version of the Golden Gate [X]press swept its category by taking all six awards, including best all-around online news reporting. First place awards went to reporters Keri Modrall, Julie Acosta and Dane Jessie. Photographers Lucian Read and Mike Nagle and photo illustrator Deanna Ruiz also placed first in their categories.

The [X]press also took home the competition's newest award, Best of the Show. Judging was done on the participating universities' coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.