A very belated THANK YOU! to the Society of Professional Journalists for honoring me with the Sigma Delta Chi Award for travel journalism for my portfolio of self-illustrated culinary travel columns at OLTRE. Although it was announced two months ago, I just learned today that I won. SPJ sent the congratulatory note to my old email address at Internova — where my department had just been abruptly laid off, so I missed the news. When a delivery driver rang my doorbell today, I assumed it was a box of mundane supplies from Amazon. Imagine my utter surprise when I opened the package to discover a beautiful trophy from SPJ.
The Sigma Delta Chi Awards rank among the most coveted and elusive prizes in American journalism. There are no nominees, no second- or third-place ribbons. Rather, SPJ selects a single winner in each category “in recognition of distinguished service to the American people and the journalism profession.” It’s such an honor. I’m immensely grateful. This is a proud career moment, if somewhat bittersweet.
Congratulations to all the journalists, photographers, broadcasters and others who received this year’s Sigma Delta Chi Awards.
