Crime and Courts Reporter, Stephanie Schendel
Mike Goodwillie, a firefighter/EMT, braces Chronicle reporter Stephanie Schendel as she sprays a fire hose at an abandoned house in August 2012 during a media field day event.
Brittany Voie / bvoie@chronline.com
Chronicle reporter Stephanie Schendel stands ready with a mock weapon that is part of the Firearms Training Similator (FATS) at Centralia College on Oct. 3 2012. Associate Professor Tadd Belden is controlling the computer that runs the simulator and selects the various simulations. Centralia College students who take classes in the criminal justice program frequently use this simulator to learn “use of force” standards.
Chronicle reporter Stephanie Schendel has been named New Journalist of the Year by the Western Washington chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
Schendel, 24, has reported on crime, court proceedings and emergency responses since her arrival at The Chronicle in May 2012.
She graduated from Washington State University with degrees in communications and Spanish. Schendel was named Undergraduate of the Year in the Edward Murrow College of Communications in 2011 and earned the Graduate of the Year honor in 2012.
Last year, she won both first and second place honors in the spot news category at the annual Society of Professional Journalists Gala in Seattle.
She'll share the New Journalist of the Year honor with fellow WSU graduate Rikki King, who reports for the The Daily Herald in Everertt, and Taylor Soper of GeekWire.
"All of them are not only making an impact in their respective organizations, but they are creating stories that have an impact on their audiences," SPJ President Breanne Coats wrote while announcing the winners.
Schendel said she was excited to receive the award. It will be presented to her Saturday at the annual SPJ gala in Seattle.
"I am very excited and honored to be recognized with an award like that," Schendel said.
Chronicle Editor Eric Schwartz nominated her for the honor. He said she reflects the work ethic and journalistic integrity prevalent throughout the rest of the newsroom.
"We're thrilled for Stephanie and thankful to have her on our staff," Schwartz said. "She's one of the many reasons why The Chronicle remains the best source for local crime and court news. She reports without an agenda and truly understands that what she does is important for our readers. She gains the trust of her sources through fair, accurate reporting and passes the benefits of that access on to the public. Those are qualities shared by her coworkers as well."
Schendel is among six current and former Chronicle journalists who will be honored at Saturday's gala. Sports reporter Brandon Hansen, Visuals Editor Pete Caster and news reporter Kyle Spurr have each been notified of winning entries, though the specific results will not be released until the ceremony. Former Chronicle reporters Amy Nile and Lisa Broadt have also won awards.
In 2013, The Chronicle won a total of 19 awards from the Western Washington SPJ chapter, including the General Excellence Award acknowledging the newspaper as the best in its category.
