Ball Bearings, a weekly interactive online magazine, won the following awards:

2008 Society of Professional Journalists Region 5 Mark of Excellence Awards

• first place, online feature reporting, "Camp Chesterfield"
•  second place, online news reporting, "Going Green"
• third place, best all-around independent online student publication

2008 Indiana Collegiate Press Association Awards   

• first place, best online publication
• first place, best home page nameplate
• first place, best home page, overall graphic design
• first place, best special presentation, "Camp Chesterfield"
• second place, best special presentation, "Student Government Association '07"
• first place, best use of multimedia, "Camp Chesterfield"
• second place, best use of multimedia, "Current TV"
• first place, best news feature reporting, "David Letterman Visits"
• third place, best news feature reporting, "Living to Feed"

2007 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication National Student Competition

• first place, online news magazine

"They are an outstanding group of students who work very hard on a volunteer basis to publish interactive stories every week," said Mary Spillman, assistant professor of journalism and Ball Bearings' faculty adviser. "They are doing something that's a little bit unusual in that they are an online publication that's not associated with a print product, so that makes them a little different from many student publications across the nation."

Each Web-based issue includes articles with graphics, video, audio and games that complement the text. Its staff includes students from the journalism, telecommunications and several other university departments who collaborate to create multimedia features.

"One thing that it represents well is that Ball State's journalism department really is looking to the future," Spillman said. "Ball Bearings prepares students for the multimedia world they will have to inhabit."

Senior Jacque Wilson, Ball Bearings' editor in chief, praised her colleagues.

"Ball Bearings is one of those publications that has a staff that does what it does for the love of it, not the awards," she said. "But I am so proud of everyone and what we've accomplished this year."

Ball Bearings' Web site is www.ballbearingsonline.com.

By Alaric DeArment