One reporter’s hard work paid off when he was recognized for one of the top honors in college journalism.

Jeremy W. Steele, journalism senior and State News opinion editor, wrote the 2001 Associated Collegiate Press’ Story of the Year.

Steele submitted his April 3 article, “Activist group exposes undercover officer” - the first in a series of articles about MSU police’s undercover investigation of United Students Against Sweatshops, a student organization now known as Students for Economic Justice.

Steele said he realized the story was significant because it was uncommon to have police investigating a group that poised no threat.

“Undercover police are usually related to drug crimes,” Steele said. “The big thing that stuck in my mind is that the group brought no fear of any danger.

“Anytime there is an infringement on students’ rights, it’s going to be a big deal.”

He said many of his editors encouraged him to enter the first story in his series in the contest.

“This was the biggest issue I have ever covered and the first one was probably the most powerful,” he said.

Steele said he got some tips on how to handle the story from Detroit Free Press reporter Joe Swickard, who worked with The State News and the School of Journalism for six weeks through a fellowship program.

“After the first story, I was getting pressured to put in new stories everyday, looking for the angles we were missing,” Steele said.

Throughout the whole ordeal, Steele said he wanted to keep his stories fair to both the university and the student organization.

“I had to take my time and think about my choice of words,” he said. “For the first couple weeks I ate, slept and breathed this story.”

State News Editor in Chief Mary Sell, said Steele’s story was one the biggest stories she has seen besides the 1999 MSU riots.

Sell, a journalism and criminal justice senior, said someone from the student group contacted The State News after recognizing a picture of the undercover cop that ran in the paper.

“Jeremy just took the story and ran with it,” she said. “This was a hard news story, and no one else was covering it. There were no other examples, but Jeremy kept coming up with excellent sources.”

Sell said the stories about the infiltration, “were an accumulation of three years of hard work.”

State News General Manager Marty Sprigg called Steele’s approach to the story professional.

“He really stuck with the story, and when he ran into roadblocks, he figured out a way to get to the heart of the story,” she said.

And Sprigg said the award is a honor not only for Steele but the entire paper because it reflects the dedication of the whole staff.

“The most satisfying part of my job is watching reporters mature,” she said. “And watching them gain the experience and knowledge that brings about change.”