ACP names top yearbooks

Pacemaker competition names three 2020 yearbooks
as the ‘best of the best’

Oct. 14, 2021

MINNEAPOLIS — The nation’s top collegiate yearbooks were recognized today by Associated Collegiate Press, which announced three Pacemaker winners.

The three winners represent the top 13 percent of the approximately 24 yearbooks submitted. In July, ACP announced five Pacemaker finalists.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Laura Widmer, executive director, said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best with Pacemaker honors.”

Yearbooks produced during the 2020-21 school year should be submitted to ACP for Pacemaker judging on Nov. 1. The finalists will be announced in December, 2021 and the Pacemaker winners will be announced at the ACP Spring National College Media Convention in March, 2022 in Long Beach.

“ACP is excited to recognize the 2021 Pacemaker finalists and announce the Pacemaker winners at the Spring convention,” Widmer said. “We think this change will allow for more timely recognition of yearbook journalists.”

The ACP Pacemaker Award, one of the oldest awards for collegiate journalism, has a rich tradition. The association began presenting the prestigious award to collegiate newspapers soon after the organization was founded in 1921. Through the years, yearbooks, magazines and online sites were added to the competition.

“These yearbooks deliver engaging verbal and visual stories, showcasing superior photojournalism, writing and design,” said Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competitions. “These yearbooks cover universities with 4,800 to 40,000 students, and the spirit and diversity of those collegiate communities come alive on their pages.”

Yearbooks produced during the 2019-20 school year competed directly against each other. A team of three nationally recognized judges selected the five finalists.