ACP names top student newspapers

Pacemaker competition recognizes 46 finalists

Oct. 7, 2020

MINNEAPOLIS — Student newspapers from 46 colleges and universities have been recognized as Pacemaker finalists by the Associated College Press.

Pacemaker finalists will be recognized and the Pacemaker winners announced virtually at 6 p.m. Eastern Thursday, Oct. 22, during the Fall National College Media Convention.

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

The 46 newspaper finalists represent 21 states. California set the pace with 18 finalists followed by Texas with five.

Five print issues produced during the 2019-20 school year were submitted for consideration. Two teams of three judges studied every entry, analysing its strengths and weaknesses. At least two of the three judges agreed on whether a newspaper was eliminated or would be named a finalist or winner.

Of the 46 finalists, 19 will earn the Pacemaker award, placing the winning newspapers in approximately the top 15 percent of the entries. 

Newspapers from four-year schools competed against those publishing with the same frequency. There were 37 finalists from four-year institutions with 15 winning Pacemaker honors.

Newspapers from two-year schools competed against each other. There were nine finalists from two-year colleges with four winning Pacemaker honors.

“With the pandemic closing campuses across the country, many of the papers submitted for the competition were produced with student journalists working from their homes, often miles from campus,” Lundgren said.  “The high-quality journalism these newspapers provided, against all odds, is remarkable.” 

In addition to demonstrating excellence in key areas including coverage, writing, editing, design and photography, the winning newspapers took risks and served as a strong voice for the student audience.

In this competition, only the print product was judged. Online sites compete in a separate Pacemaker competition.

Finalists are alphabetical by state.

2020 Pacemaker finalists

Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2019 Yearbook

2020 Individual Award Finalists

Advertisement • Cartoon • Design
Multimedia • Reporter • Photo • Story
Best Use of Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage

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Two-year schools

The Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California
Editor: Brittany Cruz-Fejeran
Adviser: Max Branscomb

The Roundup
Los Angeles Pierce College
Los Angeles, California
Editors: Katya Castillo, Chris Torres
Advisers: Jill Connelly, Jeff Favre

The Advocate
Contra Costa College
San Pablo, California
Editors: Cindy Pantoja, Xavier Johnson
Adviser: Paul DeBolt

el Don
Santa Ana College
Santa Ana, California
Editor: Lesly Guzman
Adviser: Charles Little

The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California
Editors: Martha Ramirez, Jackie Sedley
Advisers: Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, Gerard Burkhart, Sharyn Obsatz

The Reporter
Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida
Editor: Heidi Perez-Moreno
Adviser: Manolo Barco

Campus Current
Anne Arundel Community College
Arnold, Maryland
Editors: Amber Nathan, Christian Richey
Adviser: Sharon O’Malley

The Collegian
Tarrant County College
Hurst, Texas
Editors: Jill Bold, Juan Ibarra
Advisers: Stacy Luecker, Jocelyn Tatum, Chris Whitley

The Et Cetera
Eastfield College
Mesquite, Texas
Editor: Skye Seipp
Advisers: Lori Dann, Elizabeth Langton, Sarah Sheldon

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Four-year schools

The Crimson White
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Editor: Savannah Bullard
Advisers: Mark Mayfeld, Traci Mitchell

The Daily Californian
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Editors: Soofie Motamedi, Josh Yuen
Advisers: Marie Balba, James Dorn

The Orion
California State University, Chico
Chico, California
Editors: Natalie Hansen, Rayanne Painter
Advisers: David Little, Pate McMichael

Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Editor: Angie Forburger
Adviser: Abigail Goldman

Daily Trojan
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, California
Editors: Tomás Mier, Natalie Oganesyan, Kate Sequeira
Advisers: Sheri Brundage, Mona Cravens, Leslie Dunseith, Scott Smith, Jeff Tylicki

Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Editor: Madeleine Carr
Advisers: Elizabeth Smith, Courtenay Stallings

Spartan Daily
San Jose State University
San Jose, California
Editors: Kunal Mehta, Chelsea Nguyen-Fleige
Adviser: Richard Craig

Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
Editor: Austin Linthicum
Advisers: Patrick Howe, Jon Schlitt, Brady Teufel

The Red & Black
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Editors: Sofi Gratas, Collin Huguley, Hunter Riggall
Adviser: Rebecca Burns

The Signal
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
Editors: Daniel Varitek, Ada Wood
Advisers: Bryce McNeil, Zoana Price

The Saber
Columbus State University
Columbus, Georgia
Editor: Ashley Peterson
Adviser: Joseph Miller

The Argonaut
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
Editors: Brianna Finnegan, Meredith Spelbring
Adviser: Tara Roberts

F Newsmagazine
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Editors: Leo Smith, Cat Cao
Advisers: Paul Elitzik, Michael Miner

The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Editor: Alexandra Yetter
Advisers: Curtis Lawrence, Travis Truitt

The Knox Student
Knox College
Galesburg, Illinois
Editor: Connor Wood
Adviser: Tom Martin

Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Editors: Annie Aguiar, Lydia Gerike, Matt Rasnic
Advisers: Jim Rodenbush, Ruth Witmer

The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
Editor: Brooke Kemp
Adviser: Lisa Renze-Rhodes

The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Editor: Marissa Payne
Adviser: Jason Brummond

The Sunflower
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Editor: Kylie Cameron
Adviser: Amy DeVault

College Heights Herald
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Editors: Rebekah Alvey, Jeremy Chisenhall
Advisers: Chuck Clark, Carrie Pratt

Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Editor: Rick Childress
Advisers: May May Barton, Ryan Craig, Andrea Giusti, David Stephenson

The Maroon
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Editor: Erin Snodgrass
Adviser: Michael Giusti

The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Editor: Madison O’Connor
Advisers: Daena Faustino, Wesley Herold,
Christopher Richert, Omar Sofradzija

Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Editor: Dylan Goetz
Advisers: David Clark, Kathy Simon

Minnesota Daily
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Editor: Cleo Krejci
Adviser: Charlie Weaver

The Clarion
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota
Editors: Jasmine Johnson, Jake Towner
Adviser: Scott Winter

The Daily Mississippian
University of Mississippi
University, Mississippi
Editors: Eliza Noe, Daniel Payne
Advisers: Atish Baidya, Greg Brock, Patricia Thompson

Arrow
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Editor: Zach Tate
Advisers: Tamara Buck, Rachael Long

The Ithacan
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
Editor: Sophia Adamucci
Adviser: Michael Serino

The Daily Orange
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Editor: Haley Robertson
Adviser: No adviser

The Pendulum
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
Editor: Anton Delgado
Adviser: Kelly Furnas

OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Editor: Nick Hazelrigg
Adviser: Seth Prince

The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Editors: Brian Lopez, Reese Oxner
Adviser: Laurie Fox

The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas
Editor: Spencer Buckner
Adviser: Peter Chen

The Rice Thresher
Rice University
Houston, Texas
Editor: Christina Tan
Adviser: Kelly Lash

The Commonwealth Times
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
Editor: Georgia Geen
Advisers: Allison Bennett Dyche, Mark Jeffries

Calgary Journal
Mount Royal University
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Editors: Staff
Advisers: Sean Holman, Archie McLean