2021 Newspaper Pacemaker finalists
ACP names top student newspapers
Pacemaker competition recognizes 36 finalists
Sept. 17, 2021
MINNEAPOLIS — Student newspapers from 36 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. ET Thursday, Oct. 14, 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 16 states and a Canadian province. California set the pace with seven finalists, followed by Texas with five.
Five print issues produced during the 2020-21 school year were submitted for consideration. Two teams of three judges studied every entry, analyzing 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 36 finalists, 18 will earn the Pacemaker award, placing the winning newspapers in approximately the top 22 percent of the entries.
For the first time in recent history, the newspapers did not compete by frequency of publication. Newspapers from four-year schools competed with those of similar enrollment. Newspapers from two-year schools competed against each other.
Five newspapers published by two-year schools are among the 36 finalists. Of those five, three will earn Pacemaker honors.
“This was a very challenging year for collegiate print newspapers. The quality of the publications was stronger than ever, but because of the pandemic and the changing media landscape, the number of entries dropped this year,” said Gary Lundgren, associate director and coordinator of Pacemaker competition.
In all, 81 newspapers entered the Pacemaker competition compared to 114 the previous year.
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, and 12 of these newspapers also earned Pacemaker finalist recognition for their online sites.
Finalists are alphabetical by state.
2021 Pacemaker finalists
Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2020 Yearbook
2021 Individual Award finalists
Advertisement • Broadcast • Cartoon • Design
Multimedia • Photo • Reporter • Story
Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage
Register for the Fall National College Media Convention
presented virtually Oct. 14-16, 2021
Two-year schools
The Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California
Editor: Julia Woock
Adviser: Max Branscomb
The Corsair
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica, California
Editor: Jack Hughes
Advisers: Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins, Gerard Burkhart
The Reporter
Miami Dade College
Miami, Florida
Editor: Adriana Dos Santos
Adviser: Manolo Barco
The Collegian
Tarrant County College
Hurst, Texas
Editor: Michael Foster-Sanders
Advisers: Stacy Luecker,
Jocelyn Tatum, Chris Whitley
The Et Cetera
Dallas College Eastfield Campus
Mesquite, Texas
Editor: Harriet Ramos
Advisers: Elizabeth Langton,
Lori Dann, Sarah Sheldon
Four-year schools
Daily Forty-Niner
California State University,
Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Editor: Madalyn Amato
Advisers: Barbara Kingsley-Wilson, Gary Metzker
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Editor: Melissa Morris
Adviser: Abigail Goldman
The Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Editor: Makena Huey
Advisers: Elizabeth Smith, Courtenay Stallings
The Banner
California Baptist University
Riverside, California
Editor: Jane Robertus
Advisers: Mary Ann Pearson,
Sonya Singh
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Editor: Sabrina Pascua
Advisers: Patrick Howe,
Jonathan Schlitt, Brady Teufel
The Red & Black
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Editors: Sherry Liang,
Augusta Stone
Adviser: Rebecca Burns
The Uproar
Columbus State University
Columbus, Georgia
Editors: Jessica DeMarco-Jacobson, Ashley Peterson
Adviser: Joe Miller
The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Editors: Mari Devereaux, Kendall Polidori, Brooklyn Kiosow
Advisers: Curtis Lawrence,
Travis Truitt
F Newsmagazine
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Editors: Leo Smith, Jade Sheng
Advisers: Paul Elitzik, Michael Miner
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Editors: Caroline Anders,
Emily Isaacman, Jacob deCastro,
Tristan Jackson
Advisers: Jim Rodenbush,
Ruth Witmer
The Butler Collegian
Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana
Editor: Meghan Stratton
Adviser: Tatsiana Karaliova
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana
Editor: Zach Piatt
Adviser: Lisa Renze-Rhodes
The Sunflower
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Editor: Lindsay Smith
Adviser: Amy DeVault
College Heights Herald
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Editor: Laurel Deppen
Adviser: Chuck Clark, Carrie Pratt
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Editor: Natalie Parks
Advisers: Ryan Craig, May May Barton, Andrea Giusti,
David Stephenson
The Maroon
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Editor: Rose Wagner
Adviser: Michael Giusti
The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Editor: Evan Jones
Advisers: Omar Sofradzija,
Daena Faustino, Wesley Herold
Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Editor: Issac Ritchey
Advisers: David Clark, Kathy Simon
Arrow
Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Editor: Lucas irizarry
Advisers: Tamara Buck,
Mia Pohlman
Northwest Missourian
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, Missouri
Editor: Rachel Adamson
Adviser: Steven Chappell
The Ithacan
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York
Editor: Madison Fernandez
Adviser: Michael Serino
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Editor: Casey Darnell
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
Editor: Matthew Griffin
Adviser: Chrissy Beck
The Pendulum
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina
Editor: Grace Terry
Adviser: Kelly Furnas
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Editor: Ryan Nguyen
Adviser: Bill Kunerth
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Editor: Hadriana Lowenkron
Adviser: Deborah Howlett
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Editor: Brady Stone
Adviser: Douglas Pils
The Mercury
The University of Texas at Dallas
Richardson, Texas
Editor: Madison York
Adviser: Chad Thomas
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University
Waco, Texas
Editors: Matthew Soderberg, Madalyn Watson
Advisers: Bruce Gietzen, Julie Reed
The Commonwealth Times
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia
Editors: Iman Mekonen,
Andrew Ringle
Adviser: Mark Jeffries
Calgary Journal
Mount Royal University
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Editors: Chole Chapdelanie, Mackenzie Hermann,
Angela Lackey, Tristan Oram
Advisers: Archie Mclean,
Sean Holman
