Bloom is honored to have received recognition from various organizations for our editorial work and for our efforts to support the local community in the arts, culture, and business. Below is a list of some of the honors awarded by various community organizations, followed by the many awards for editorial excellence presented by the Indiana chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.


Community Awards

2015 Downtown Revitalization Award: Catch the Spirit
Downtown Bloomington, Inc. Award

2015 Arts in Business Award
Community Arts Awards, Ivy Tech Community College–Bloomington

2010 Media Advocate
Downtown Bloomington, Inc. Award

2009 Community Enhancement 
Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Award

2008 Community Service
Fuse Business Award

2008 Entrepreneurial Growth
Fuse Business Award

2008 Retail Promotion
Downtown Bloomington, Inc. Award

2007 Community Enhancement
Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Award

2007 Downtown Revitalization
Downtown Bloomington, Inc. Award


Editorial Awards

2020 Features Writing (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), First Place
“Heroes of the Pandemic” Bloom contributing writers

2020 Election and Campaign Coverage (Publication below 30,000), First Place
“VOTE: What’s At Stake for Bloomington and The Country” Bloom contributing writers

2020 Personality Profile (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), First Place
“One Life-Changing Moment for Wealth Manager John Hurlow” Janet Mandelstam

2020 Design Other Than Cover (All print publications), First Place
“The Illustrations of Mike Cagle” Stephanie Reeves, Mike Cagle

2020 Non-Fiction Book, Second Place
“The Killer Who Fell From the Sky” Malcolm Abrams

2020 Magazine Cover Design (All magazines), Second Place
Stephanie Reeves and Rodney Margison

2020 Features Photography (Publication circulation below 30,000), Second Place
Kendall Reeves

2020 News Photography (Publication circulation below 30,000), Second Place
Rodney Margison

2020 Education Reporting (Publication circulation below 30,000), Second Place
“For the Love of STEM” Carmen Siering

2020 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication circulation below 30,000), Third Place
“How Emily Pike Saved Her Stepmother by Donating a Kidney to a Stranger” Carmen Siering

2020 Graphics and Illustrations (Publication circulation below 30,000)
December 2020/January 2021 cover illustration, Joe Lee

2019 Magazine Cover Design (All Magazines or Periodicals), First Place
“Bloomington’s Black Leaders of Tomorrow”, “Under the Weather”, “The Way We Were” Emilee Stites, Stephanie Reeves, Rodney Margison

2019 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), First Place
Bloomington Firefighters Have New Technology to Save Lives” Susan Brackney

2019 Arts & Entertainment Writing (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“New Books from IU Press”  Julie Gray

2019 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Anti-Semitism On the Rise” Carmen Siering

2019 Design Other Than Cover (All Print Media), Second Place
“Bloomington’s Black Leaders of Tomorrow” Emilee Stites

2019 Environmental Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Under the Weather” Susan M. Brackney

2019 Features Writing (Magazines and Non-Daily Newspapers), Second Place
Bloomington’s Veterans: Their Struggles and Triumphs” Craig Coley

2019 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“IU Researchers Develop Botslayer, A Tool That Roots Out Fake News” Peter Dorfman

2019 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Local Veteran Gifted New Roof” Rodney Margison

2019 Business or Consumer Affairs Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
 “Kelley School Grads Develop Allergy-Friendly Snack Bar” Carmen Siering

2019 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Historian Liz Mitchell ‘Returns’ to Africa to Honor Her Ancestors” Craig Coley

2019 Editorial Writing (All Publications and Digital Media), Third Place
“What’s Not to Like?” Malcolm Abrams

2019 Features Photography (All Publications),Third Place
“Brooke Bierhaus: A Young Woman Pursuing a Dream, One Cup of Coffee (or Tea) at a Time” Brooke Bierhaus, Mulugeta Workye, Mbarek Ouhasa

2018 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Remembering the Hole” Douglas Wissing

2018 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000)
“The Trials LGBTQ+ Groups Face at Monroe County Fair” Craig Coley

2018 Coverage of Children’s Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Krimson Leadership Academy Teaching it’s Cool to Be Smart” Craig Coley

2018 Environmental Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“The Fight to Save Our Forests & Wildlife” Susan M. Brackney

2018 Art and Entertainment Writing (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Cardinal Stage Act II” Molly Brush

2018 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), First Place
“The Fight to Save Our Forests & Wildlife” Jeff Danielson

2018 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Bloomington: A Pet-Friendly Place” by Naama Levy

2018 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“25 Couples Who Contribute to Our Community” Jeff Richardson

2018 News Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“National Gun Violence Awareness Day Rally at Courthouse” Rodney Margison

2018 Design Other Than Cover (All  Print Media), Second Place
“Saturday Mornings at the Farmers’ Market” Emilee Stites

2018 Design Other Than Cover (All Print Media), Third Place
“A Magical Fish and the City it Spawned” Emilee Stites

2018 Editorial Writing (All Publications and Digital Media)
“That Controversial Picture” Malcolm Abrams

2018 Graphics and Illustrations (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), First Place
“Remembering the Hole” Wayne Manns

2018 Graphics and Illustrations (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“The Dog House” Mike Cagle

2018 Multiple Picture Group, Second Place
“Saturday Mornings at the Farmers’ Market” Stephen Sproull

2017 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), First Place
“To Be Muslim in Bloomington” Carmen Siering

2017 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), First Place
“Voices for Recovery” Carmen Siering

2017 Features Writing (Magazines and Non-Daily Newspapers), First Place
“The Story of Melanie and Stormy” Carmen Siering

2017 Sports Photography, First Place
“Hoosiers Ice Penguins, 79-51” Rodney Margison

2017 Magazine Cover Design (All Magazines or Periodicals), First Place
Emilee Stites, Rodney Margison, Kendall Reeves

2017 Investigative Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“The Plight of Asylum-Seekers” Peter Dorfman

2017 Coverage of Children’s Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“New Hope for Families” Craig Coley

2017 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“New Books from IU Press” Julie Gray

2017 Design Other than Cover (All Print Media), Second Place
“Spencer Reimagined” Emilee Stites

2017 Graphics and Illustrations (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“The Plight of Asylum-Seekers” Joe Lee

2017 Business or Consumer Affairs Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Spencer Reimagined” Molly Brush

2017 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“‘How Do You Have Fun with Cancer’ and Create a New Paradigm for Chemo?” Rodney Margison

2017 Column Writing (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Tapped into Bloomington” Greg Siering

2017 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“To Be Muslim in Bloomington” Jeff Richardson, Stephen Sproull

2017 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“To Be Muslim in Bloomington” Jeff Richardson, Stephen Sproull

2016 Business or Consumer Affairs Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“The Story of Lennie & Jeff: How a Young Couple Fell Out of Love and Built a Food and Beer Mini-Empire” Carmen Siering

2016 Education Coverage (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Serve IT” Carmen Siering

2016 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Second Place
“Memorable Images of Places Close to Home” Stephen Sproull

2016 Education Coverage (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Beekeeping Gaining Popularity as Bee Colonies Continue to Die” Barb Berggoetz

2016 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Black History in Indiana: A Different Perspective” Douglas Wissing

2016 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“IU Researchers & Local High Schools Working Together on Revolutionary Concussion Device” Carmen Siering

2016 Column Writing (Magazines and Non-Daily Newspapers), Third Place
“Bloom Magazine Editor’s Message” Malcolm Abrams

2016 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Getting to Know Your Local Cop Over a Cup of Coffee (or Juice)” Jenn Hamm

2016 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Mazel Tov: A Traditional Wedding in a Rustic Setting” Tall and Small Photography

2016 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 30,000), Third Place
“Relish: Women’s Clothing That Transcends Trendiness” Nikita Shokhov

2015 Education Reporting (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), First Place
“Risking Their Lives For Justice,” Elisabeth Andrews

2015 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), First Place
“Iraq War Veteran Mike Ogden,” Tyagan Miller

2015 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), Second Place
“How The Homeless See Bloomington,” The Bloomington Homeless Community

2015 Coverage Of Government Or Politics (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), Second Place
“’The American Spectator’ Born And Bred In Bloomington,” Elisabeth Andrews

2015 Coverage Of Minority Issues (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), Second Place
“George Taliaferro Makes Old Pal’s Wish Come True,” Mike Leonard

2015 Features Writing (Magazines And Non-Daily Newspapers), Second Place
“How The Homeless See Bloomington,” Carmen Siering

2015 Arts And Entertainment Writing (Magazines And Non-Daily Newspapers), Second Place
“An Artist’s Images On The B-Line Trail,” Carmen Siering & Roger Pfingston

2015 Magazine Design Other Than Cover, Second Place
“College Sports In Crisis,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2015 Non-Deadline Story Or Series (Magazines And Non-Daily Newspapers), Third Place
“Eva Kor Of Terre Haute — A Holocaust Survivor Who Believes In Forgiveness,” Nancy Hiller

2015 Column Writing (Magazines And Non-Daily Newspapers), Third Place
“Mind, Body, Spirit,” Carmen Siering

2015 Features Photography (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), Third Place
“Lenny & Lou: Still Making Beautiful Music Together,” Shannon Zahnle

2015 Multiple Picture Group (Publication Circulation Below 40,000), Third Place
“Indiana University In Autumn,” Peter Hamlin

2014 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), First Place
“Images of Bloomington by Shannon Zahnle,” Shannon Zahnle 

2014 Magazine Cover Design (All magazines and periodicals), First Place
April/May, October/November, and December/January, Kaye Lee Johnston and Shannon Zahnle

2014 Editorial Writing (All publications and digital media), First Place
“Consequences,” Malcolm Abrams

2014 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication circulation below 40,000), Second Place
“A Towering Presence and Man of God,” Jeremy Shere

2014 Non-Deadline Story or Series (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“Gay Bloomington: Then & Now,” Mike Leonard

2014 Personality Profile (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“Making It in L.A. IU’s Brice Fox Chases His Dream,” Danielle Paquette

2014 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“How True was ‘Breaking Away’?” Mike Leonard

2014 Features Photography (Publication circulation below 40,000), Second Place
“Fire at Lake Monroe: Images of Bloomington,” Shannon Zahnle

2014 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Second Place
“Lake Monroe in Winter,” Peter Hamlin

2014 Design Other Than Cover (All magazines and periodicals), Second Place
“Oh, the Delights You’ll Find at the Lilly Library,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2014 Criminal Justice Reporting (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Human Trafficking: Not Just a Problem in Other Places,” Carmen Siering

2014 Education Reporting (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“The Remarkable Rise of Chancellor Jennie Vaughan and the Evolution of Ivy Tech,” Elisabeth Andrews

2014 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Comedy in Bloomington,” Shannon Zahnle

2013 Coverage of Minority Issues (Publication circulation below 40,000), First Place
“Growing Up Black in Bloomington,” Elisabeth Andrews

2013 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), First Place
“Raymer’s Bloomington,” Steve Raymer

2013 Design Other Than Cover (All magazines and periodicals), First Place
“100+ Best Things to See and Do in Bloomington,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2013 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Magazine and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“Sunday Morning with Mellencamp,” Mike Leonard

2013 Medical or Science Reporting (Publication circulation below 40,0000), Second Place
“At the Outer Limits,” Janet Mandelstam

2013 Column Writing (Magazine and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“My Place or Yours,” Christine Barbour

2013 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Second Place
“Autumn in Monroe County,” J. Bruce Baumann

2013 Magazine Cover Design (All magazines and periodicals), Second Place
October/November 2013, Kaye Lee Johnston and Shannon Zahnle

2013 Design Other Than Cover (All magazines and periodicals), Second Place
“Growing Up Black in Bloomington,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2013 Best Journalism Website, Second Place
magbloom.com, Lynae Sowinski and Kaye Lee Johnston

2013 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Magazine and non-daily newspapers), Third Place
“Catching Up with Kenny Aronoff,” Mike Leonard

2013 Non-Deadline Story or Series (Magazine and non-daily newspapers), Third Place
“The Legacy of Schindler’s List,” Lee Ann Sandweiss

2013 Environmental Reporting (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Saving ‘Big Cats,” Adam Kent-Isaac

2013 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Growing Up Black in Bloomington,” Shannon Zahnle

2013 Editorial Writing (All publications), Honorable Mention
“The Fast-Food Rip-Off,” Malcolm Abrams

2013 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Honorable Mention
“Saving ‘Big Cats,” Steve Raymer

2012 Best Journalism Website, First Place

Lynae Sowinski and Kaye Lee Johnston

2012 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Magazine and non-daily newspapers), First Place
“The Lotus Festival,” Elisabeth Andrews

2012 Business or Consumer Affairs Reporting (Publication circulation below 40,000), First Place
“The Young Turks of Technology,” Jeremy Shere

2012 Coverage of Minority Issues, (All publications), First Place
“A Sentimental Journey,” Lee Ann Sandweiss

2012 Column Writing (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), First Place
“My Plate or Yours,” Christine Barbour

2012 Features Photography (Publication circulation below 40,000), First Place
“Make Way Bloomington, Here Come the Brains!” Steve Raymer

2012 Arts and Entertainment Writing (Magazines and non-daily newspapers), Second Place
“IU Jacobs School of Music: The Next Generation,” Elisabeth Andrews

2012 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Second Place
“IU Jacobs School of Music: The Next Generation,” Shannon Zahnle

2012 Design Other Than Cover (All magazines and periodicals), Second Place
“36 Spots Where the Burgers Are Tops,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2012 Features Photography (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Laser Surgery,” Shannon Zahnle

2012 Multiple Picture Group (Publication circulation below 40,000), Third Place
“Autumn in Monroe County,” J. Bruce Baumann

2012 Design Other Than Cover (All magazines and periodicals), Third Place
“A Farm Where the Water Buffalo Roam,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2011 Design Other Than Cover, First Place
“It’s a Wonderful Town,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2011 Design Other Than Cover, Second Place
“An Afternoon at WonderLab,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2011 Design Other Than Cover, Third Place
“Growing Your Own,” Kaye Lee Johnston  Cover51

2011 Design Other Than Cover, Honorable Mention
“The Girls of Meadowood,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2011 Coverage of Government or Politics, First Place
“The Duanys’ Amazing Journey,” Elisabeth Andrews

2011 Editorial (All publications), First Place
Malcolm Abrams

2011 Headline Writing: Features (Magazine), Third Place
Malcolm Abrams

2011 Sports Reporting (Magazine), Third Place
“Little 500: Then & Now,” Elisabeth Andrews

2011 Arts/Entertainment Feature (Magazine), Third Place
“The Life & Legacy of T.C. Steele,” Nancy Hiller

2011 Lifestyle Feature (Magazine), Third Place
“The Girls of Meadowood,” Lee Ann Sandweiss

2011 Lifestyle Feature (Magazine), Honorable Mention
“Homes: Where the Livin’ Is Easy,” Lee Ann Sandweiss

2011 Personality Profile (Magazine), Second Place
“Lee Hamilton,” Elisabeth Andrews

2011 Personality Profile (Magazine), Honorable Mention
“Ger’s Journey,” Elisabeth Andrews

2011 Coverage of the Environment (All publications), First Place
“To Make Bloomington More Sustainable,” Jeremy Shere

2011 Feature Photograph (All publications), First Place
“A Hoosierific Wedding,” Deckard Photography

2010 Best Sports Reporting (Magazine), First Place
“Reflections of a Sports Writer,” Chris Korman

2010 Coverage of Children’s Issues, Second Place
“A Life-Changing Journey,” Debra Kent

2010 Medical/Science Reporting, Second Place
“IU School of Medicine Giving Hope and Saving Lives in Kenya,” Sylvia McNair and Elisabeth Andrews

2010 Best Cover Design, Second Place
“Bernstein in Bloomington,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2010 Best Feature Photograph, Third Place
“One Fine Day in Bloomington: Bloomington Kiss,” Ivona Hedin

2010 Best Design Other Than Cover, Third Place
“Made in B-town,” Kaye Lee Johnston

2010 Feature (Magazine), Honorable Mention
“Bernstein in Bloomington,” Debra Kent

2010 Business Reporting, Honorable Mention
“Made in B-town,” Elisabeth Andrews

2010 Coverage of the Environment, Honorable Mention
“A Green Love Affair,” Nancy Hiller

2010 Best Multiple Picture Group, Honorable Mention
“One Fine Day in Bloomington,” Bloom Magazine Readers

2009 Best Arts/Entertainment Feature (Magazine), First Place
“Bloomington Grande Dames,” Debra Kent

2009 Best Feature Photograph, First Place
“Denis Sinor,” Steve Raymer

2009 Best Education Coverage, First Place
“Harmony, a School Like No Other,” Elisabeth Andrews

2009 Best Multiple Picture Group, First Place
“A Hoosier 4th of July,” Daniel Orr

2009 Best Sports Reporting (Magazine), First Place
“Roller Derby,” Ron Eid

2009 Best Editorial (All publications), First Place
“Van Wanted,” Malcolm Abrams

2009 Feature (Magazine), Second Place
“The Killer Who Fell from the Sky,” Pamela Keech

2009 Medical/Science Reporting, Second Place
“The Origins of Everything,” Jeremy Shere

2009 Best Multiple Picture Group, Second Place
“The IU Campus in Spring,” Daniel Orr

2009 Lifestyle Feature (Magazine), Second Place
“Art Lives Here,” Lee Ann Sandweiss

2009 Arts/Entertainment Feature, Second Place
“1,000 Nights of Jazz,” David Brent Johnson

2009 Best Design (Magazine), Second Place
“The Killer Who Fell from the Sky,” Carla Miller

2009 Best Headline Writing: Features (Magazine), Second Place
“A Woman and Her Morels,” Malcolm Abrams

2009 Best Sports Reporting (Magazine), Second Place
“Good Guys to Have Around,” Ron Eid

2009 Personality Profile (Magazine), Honorable Mention
“Denis Sinor: Scholar with a Dash of Derring-Do,” Janet Mandelstam

2008 Best Non-Deadline Reporting, First Place
“Jill Bolte Taylor: Bloomington’s Gift to the World,” Elisabeth Andrews

2008 Best Layout/Design Cover, First Place
“One Fine Day in Bloomington,” Page designed by Carla Miller, cover photo by Domingo “Ding” Prud’homme

2008 Best Lifestyle (Magazine), Second Place
“The Cozy Homes of Prospect Hill,” Nancy Hiller

2008 Coverage of Children’s Issues, Second Place
“From the Heart of Indiana to the Heart of Africa,” Janet Mandelstam

2008 Best Lifestyle Feature (Magazines), Third Place
“Old Cars and the People Who Love Them,” Elisabeth Andrews