CAPITAL EMMY – STUDENT PRODUCTION
Podgorski was awarded with a 2025 Capital Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. His sports reporting reel was selected for the Best Talent – Sports or News category in the Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia region.
HEARST JOURNALISM AWARDS PROGRAM
Podgorski placed second overall in the Television category at the 2025 Hearst National Championships in San Francisco, where he reported on how recent tariffs were impacting a coffee shop’s mission to promote social justice. He was one of five television finalists selected from hundreds of entries nationwide.
Earlier in the year, Podgorski earned eighth place in the Hearst Television Features competition for stories on a Maryland mother-son sneaker shop and a famous tree on D.C.’s Tidal Basin, and sixth in Hearst Television News for coverage of Big Ten expansion and flood mitigation in Ellicott City, results that qualified him for the National Championship.
CHESAPEAKE ASSOCIATED PRESS BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION
Podgorski was selected as a finalist in three categories of the 2024 Chesapeake Associated Press Broadcasters Association Contest. His stories were chosen from among 326 submissions from 27 news organizations across Maryland, Delaware, and Washington, D.C.
He was a finalist in the Outstanding General News category for his story on flooding in Ellicott City, in the Outstanding Feature category for his coverage of Stumpy the Tree, and in the Outstanding Sports Reporting category for his piece on the expansion of the Big Ten Conference.
MARYLAND DELAWARE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (MDDC) PRESS ASSOCIATION
The Philip Merrill College of Journalism placed 17 finalists in the 2025 MDDC Awards competition, with Podgorski leading all students with two first-place finishes.
His story on Sole Wash sneaker laundry and the bond between a mother and son in the business won first place in the Features Video category. Podgorski also earned first place in the Sports Video category for his coverage of the Big Ten Conference expansion and its impact on athletes.
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS
Podgorski placed in three categories at the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists Region 2 Excellence Awards. Region 2 comprises Delaware, Washington D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
He was named a finalist in the Television Feature Reporting category for his story on Stumpy the Tree. His enterprise piece on the expansion of the Big Ten Conference earned him finalist honors in the Television In-Depth Reporting category. Podgorski was also a finalist in the Television Sports Reporting category for his feature on Beau Brade’s journey to the NFL.
BROADCAST EDUCATION ASSOCIATION (BEA) FESTIVAL OF MEDIA ARTS
Podgorski was selected for an Award of Excellence in the Television Short Feature Category in the BEA Festival of Media Arts for his story covering Stumpy the Tree.
He highlights the persistence and resilience of the tree and its impact on the Washington D.C. area.
Ricky Podgorski 