CSU, Chico News

California State University, Chico’s student newspaper The Orion has won its seventh National Pacemaker award–widely considered the top prize for general excellence in college journalism.

The award was presented Nov. 8 by Executive Director Tom Rolnicki, Associated Collegiate Press, at the 82nd annual National College Media Convention. Held at the Hyatt in Dallas, the convention attracted about 2,600 college journalists from throughout the United States and Canada.

In announcing this year’s winners, Rolnicki noted that the National Pacemaker is often referred to as “the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism.”

The Orion was the only university newspaper in California to receive a National Pacemaker this year, although three others were finalists for the award-The Daily Californian at UC Berkeley, the Daily Bruin at UCLA and The Graphic at Pepperdine.

The staff of the Dallas Morning-News did the judging for the Pacemaker.

The Orion’s managing editor, Melody Gutierrez of Twentynine Palms, and the art director, Jessie Gardner of Reno, accepted the award on behalf of The Orion staff. Rob Calvin, business manager, David Waddell, faculty advisor and several memebers of the staff also attended the convention.

“I was so nervous sitting there and hoping our name would be called,” Gutierrez said. “We gripped each others’ hands like a football team waiting for the final field goal kick. When we heard The Orion’s named called, we jumped up and screamed. This award shows that all of our long hours and hard work really paid off.”

“Quite a loud roar went up from our section of the convention hall when The Orion’s name was called-a display of The Orion spirit,” said Dave Waddell, faculty advisor.

“Winning a Pacemaker means you’re the best of the best. It speaks to the passion and commitment of our editorial, design and advertising staffs.”

The four award-winning issues came from the fall 2002 and spring 2003 semesters. In fall 2002, Jennifer Cooper of Joshua Tree was managing editor, Brent Hainsworth of Lompoc was art director and Tyler Lewis of Santa Rosa was business manager. Gardner became art director in spring 2003, joining the returning Cooper and Lewis. Gutierrez was news editor in fall 2002 and opinion editor in spring 2003.

The Orion, a habitual finalist for the National Pacemaker since the late 1980s, won the award five times in the 1990s.

In addition to the Pacemaker awards, The Orion has captured a slew of state, regional and national awards. The National Newspaper Association and the Society of Professional Journalists have each named The Orion the nation’s best university weekly in recent years.

The CSU, Chico paper also was picked as the Associated College Press’ Newspaper of the Year at the National College Newspaper Convention five times in the last six years. And the California Newspaper Publishers Association has named The Orion the state’s best university newspaper in seven of the last nine years.

The Orion, which was founded in 1975, is a laboratory newspaper of CSU, Chico’s nationally accredited department of journalism.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2003 at 8:28 am and is filed under 2003 Fall.