by Amby Sarabia
Staff Writer
La Verne Magazine, Campus Times and LVTV’s Eye on La Verne news show were all honored for excellence in two recent national awards competitions, which followed comprehensive critiques by professional journalists and journalism educators.
La Verne Magazine won the Associated Collegiate Press’ 2001-2002 “All American With Five Marks of Distinction,” the highest honor the association gives.
The magazine also won a Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medal award for 2002, which is this association’s highest honor.
Campus Times won the Associated Collegiate Press award of “First Class with Two Marks of Distinction.” The “First Class” honor was for overall content and production quality, while the marks of distinction noted excellence in design and photography.
And the University’s broadcasting students swept all three of the television award categories for broadcast news and feature stories at the CSPA Student Journalism Awards ceremony, held in March at Columbia University in New York.
ULV student work was pitted against many prominent universities in these contests, said Communications Department Chairman and La Verne Magazine Adviser George Keeler.
Among ULV’s competitors were the University of Southern California, Berkeley, Cal State Fullerton and Northwestern University, to name a few.
With such big-name competition, winning the Gold Medal award from Columbia, which La Verne Magazine achieved with a score of 938 out 1,000 possible points, proves La Verne can hold its ground, Keeler said.
“Winning means that we were able to displace big schools,” Keeler said.
The magazine’s Associated Collegiate Press award is another one to be proud of since the publication fulfilled all five marks of distinction for concept, content, writing and editing, photography and art, as well as layout and design.
“To win here means you are top notch,” Keeler said.
“It’s nice to be validated for our hard work and effort,” added Terry Birdsall, editor of La Verne Magazine for the spring 2002 issue. The spring 2002 publication concept was Hidden Treasures.
“We were just trying to do our best work and put out a good magazine,” Birdsall said. ” The awards are just icing on the cake.” The Fall 2001 magazine concept was College Memories under editor and senior journalism major Melinda Dilwicius.
“It’s truly an honor to be named among the top college and university newspapers,” said Elizabeth Zwerling, assistant professor of journalism and Campus Times adviser, who was on hand at the CSPA annual conference last month to pick up the awards.
Zwerling attended the CSPA conference as a featured speaker. She was asked to speak after the Campus Times won back-to-back Gold Medal awards for Fall 2001 and Spring 2002.
Don Pollock, communications professor and Eye on La Verne adviser added: “This is the first time I can remember there being a video category in the Columbia contest. We have always been envious of the awards won by the Campus Times Newspaper and La Verne Magazine in this competition.”
“We have outstanding students in the department who are very talented and work hard,” Keeler said. “These significant awards signify (their) leadership.”
And as for the future: “The standards are raised so high that I don’t see us slacking now,” said Alexis Lahr, senior journalism major and La Verne Magazine’s current editor.
Advisors are extremely proud of the students and all the hard work they put into the projects. Congratulations to all.
Communications student winners
In addition to overall awards, Communications students won the following individual awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association:
LA VERNE MAGAZINE
· Non-fiction writing, interview: Certificate of Merit, Christine Owen, “Taking a Stand: Peace or War”
· Illustration: Certificate of Merit, Christian A. Lopez, “Funhouse Weight Loss”
· Color Photography: Certificate of Merit, Jen Newman, “Roger Castellano”
CAMPUS TIMES
· News Photography: Third place, Tom Galaraga, “La Verne House Fire”· Certificate of Merit, Jennifer Contreras, “Taco Bell Protest”
· Sports Photography: Third Place, Liz Lucsko, “Water Polo vs. Claremont”
· Page One design: Certificate of Merit, December 7, 2001
· Single Subject page layout: Third Place Campus Times staff, “Untitled”
· Two Page Photo layout: Certificate of Merit, Tom Galaraga, “Volleyball Championship”· “A Skid Row Thanksgiving”
LVTV
· News Package: First Place, Veronica Perez and Nathan Baca, “Child Molestor Investigation · Second Place, “Bryan Smith and Rene Luna, “210 Freeway Update.
· Feature Package: First place, Agustin Avalos and Edna Becerra, “Musical Claremont” · Second Place, Veronica Perez and Edna Becerra, “Ross the Intern” · Third Place, Evan Martinez, Danny Lee and Nick Schober, “Van’s Triple Crown Skate Park” ·Certificate of Merit, Edna Becerra and Agustin Avalos, “America’s Best Spirit Leader Championship”
· Documentary: Enrique Gutierrez, “Cristian Bejerano: The Bronze Warrior, Part 2: A Legend in the Making”
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.