'DP' nabs college journalism award

DALLAS -- For the third year in a row, The Daily Pennsylvanian received the Pacemaker Award, given by the Associate Collegiate Press in recognition of outstanding journalism.

Regarded as one of the most prestigious national journalism awards, the Pacemaker is awarded annually. This year, 23 collegiate newspapers received the top honor. Of those, only twelve were daily broadsheet publications from four-year schools.

These winners included The News-Letter from Johns Hopkins University, The State News from Michigan State University and The Vanderbilt Hustler from Vanderbilt University. The DP was the only Ivy League publication to receive the honor.

"It's our Pulitzer Prize of the college press," ACP Executive Director Tom Rolnicki said before announcing the awards. The presentation was part of a four-day convention -- attended by over 1,000 student journalists -- held this year in Dallas.

Each year, staff members of local newspapers in the convention's host city judge Pacemaker entries. Scrutinized areas include reporting, writing, design, layout and depth of coverage.

"It's given to the best of the best," DP Managing Editor Marla Dunn said, commending the newspaper staff for the past year's work.

"I think the DP has a history of excellence, and I kind of expect it at this point," Dunn said, noting that even with this history, the publication has made "significant strides" in the past year.

Other editors also emphasized the importance of institutional history at the DP.

"Let me just say, I'm not surprised," 34th Street Managing Editor Daniel McQuade said.

Also noting that the award has become a tradition, DP Design Editor Jeff Shafer said he expects future years to perform similarly, saying that if the streak happens to end in 34 years, "we'll have to shun the 153rd [editorial] board."

The Pacemaker is one of the top two awards given to college newspapers.

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