The Outlook, the University’s student-run newspaper, was ranked 8th in the Nation for “Best of Show Four-Year Weekly Newspaper,” by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) at the Mid-winter National College Journalism Convention in San Francisco, California.
An issue of The Outlook was submitted in the “Best of Show Four- Year Weekly Newspaper” category and was reviewed by a panel of judges. Judges reviewed submissions from multiple colleges throughout the United States and established a National top ten out of all entries.
Placement was based on the number of entries and overall convention attendance. Over 750 schools attended the Convention this year. The Best of Show award does not signify a ranking of national excellence, but rather overall excellence among the attendees and entries, according to the ACP.
Danielle Schipani, senior communication student and current Editor-In-Chief of The Outlook was honored to be a part of an award-winning paper and commended the work of rest of the editorial staff and their contributions. “Every member of the editorial staff has worked tirelessly all year to ensure that we are printing a quality paper for the campus community,” she said.
“Our adviser, Professor Morano, has acted as an integral part of the production of this paper. His expertise has guided the staff and helped us all become excellent reporters. Being nationally recognized is incredible and I am so proud of everyone who helped make this possible,” Schipani continued.
Professor John Morano, the paper’s faculty advisor believes that while The Outlook doesn’t produce their paper with the intention of winning any awards, he believes that that the students earn such accreditation by efficiently informing the University community and doing quality reporting. Morano said, “There is a level of validation that comes when independent acknowledgement from an organization with the stature of American Collegiate Press finds that your publication is one of the 10 best in the nation when judged against its peers.”
The award serves as a symbol of the amount of hard work and dedication the students on The Outlook have contributed within the last year, Morano believes. “Recognition of this type, I find, reminds students what’s important and what it takes to consistently do their best work. It’s motivational and inspiring. Most people see their paper on the stands every Wednesday, but have little appreciation for the volunteer work that goes into making that happen,” he continued.
Caroline Matisse, a freshman communication student who recently joined The Outlook staff, is proud to be part of an award-winning paper, especially so early on in her college career. Matisse said, “As a first year student just joining the paper, it is reassuring to know that everything is running smoothly and that the paper is so successful. It is an honor working for such as great publication, however, it is intimidating that we’ve set the bar even higher than it was before.”
PHOTO TAKEN by Jamilah McMillan
