Karina Rodriguez
Arts Editor
The Campus Times and La Verne Magazine cleaned up in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s annual contest for the 2023-24 academic year, each winning the prestigious Silver Crown award for overall publication excellence in their respective categories.
Additionally, the publications won a total of 22 Gold Circle awards for individual stories and photos published during the 2023-24 academic year.
The Silver Crown wins put the publications among the top seven college newspapers/online hybrid publications and among the top three college magazines across the U.S. and Canada.
Among other newspaper Crown awardees were Indiana University’s The Indiana Student, Baylor University’s Lariat, and Texas Tech’s The Daily Toreador; additional magazine winners included the University of Wisconsin’s CURB, and the University of Miami’s Distraction magazines.
The annual contest, based at the Columbia University School of Journalism, had nearly 7,000 total entrants across its various categories. Awards were announced during the CSPA’s annual convention earlier this spring.
Professor of Journalism Elizabeth Zwerling advises the Campus Times, and Professor of Journalism George Keeler and Adjunct Professor of Communications Randy Miller advise the La Verne Magazine in fall and spring semesters respectively. Eric Borer, journalism operations manager and adjunct professor, is photography advisor for both publications.
“It makes me so proud of my students to know that I have the best in the country, and that they have the ability to rise to that level,” said Keeler, who is also program chair of journalism.
“I am very proud of the good work the students have done,” said Borer, whose photography staffs were responsible for the majority of individual Gold Circle awards.
Journalism majors and 2024 alumnae Sarah Van Buskirk and Taylor Moore served as editor-in-chief of the Campus Times in fall 2023 and spring 2024 respectively; journalism majors and 2024 alumnae Abelina Nuñez and Samira Felix were magazine editors in fall 2023 and spring 2024 respectively.
Van Buskirk said she was delighted to hear news of the awards.
“I think employers will be very impressed,” said Van Buskirk, who is currently freelancing.
Moore attributed the big wins to the great team she got to lead last spring.
“All the editors and all the staff writers (brought) their A game,” Moore said. “Everyone brought 100% to every single meeting, every Thursday production, and we were all so in sync.”
Felix, who served as news editor for the Campus Times for the entire 2023-24 academic year in addition to serving as magazine editor in spring 2024, credited her professors.
“I won this award because of Elizabeth, George, Eric and everyone in general in the journalism department,” said Felix, who is finishing up her master’s degree in journalism at USC’s Annenberg School of Journalism. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support.”
Miller credited his students.
“They do all the heavy lifting… and I am proud of them,” Miller said.
Crown Awards are considered at Columbia by panels of invited judges made up of professional journalists and academics from across the nation. Working in small groups, the judges scrutinize the publications for depth and breadth of coverage, writing, editing, photography, and design.
Zwerling said she was very proud of her students, and she added that the awards were not totally unexpected.
“While we are thrilled with this year’s showing in the prestigious contest, the honors are not a complete surprise,” Zwerling said. “Our publications have been consistent winners in CSPA contests for more than two decades.”
The CSPA is an international student press association uniting student journalists and faculty advisers at colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges and award programs. Owned and operated by Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, the Association founded in 1925 is one of the oldest, largest, and most prestigious student journalism associations.
“At a time when journalistic independence and academic freedom are under threat as never before, we’re proud of our publications, which serve the La Verne community and beyond with objectivity and fierce independence, training the journalists of tomorrow to hold the powers that be to account,” Zwerling said.
Gold Circle awards for individual stories and photos included a total of 18 for the Campus Times and four for the La Verne Magazine as follows:
Campus Times Individual Award Winners:
- Samira Felix, First Place for News Writing for “Adjunct faculty emphasize need for contracts.”
- Samira Felix and Sarah Van Buskirk, Second Place for Alternate Story Form for “New President Mahdavi shares personal story and plans for the university.”
- Kelli Makenna Kuttruff, Certificate of Merit for General Feature Writing for “LV houses go all out for Halloween.”
- Lindsey Pacela, Certificate of Merit for General Feature for “Hikers experience magic of the sea.”
- Jonas Holt, Third Place for Photo Story for “Swim teams drop senior day meet.”
- Amanda Torres, First Place for Single Feature Photo for “Headbanging at the Glass House.”
- Olivia Modarelli, Second Place for Single Feature Photo for “Sluttony Concert.”
- Christopher Rodriguez, Third Place for Single Feature Photo for “Magic Show.”
- Nareg Agopian, First Place for Sports Photography for “Football vs. CMS.”
- Christopher Rodriguez, Second Place for Sports Photography for “Softball vs. Redlands”
- Sheridan Lambrook, Third Place for Sports Photography for “Softball – Taylor Gray Celebration.”
- Sarah Van Buskirk, Certificate of Merit for Sports Photography for “Women’s Water Polo vs. Chapman”
- Nareg Agopian, Certificate of Merit for Sports Photography for “Women’s Soccer vs. Caltech”
- Sheridan Lambrook, First Place, Photography Portfolio of Work
- Amanda Torres, Second Place, Photography Portfolio of Work
- Nareg Agopian, Third Place, Photography Portfolio of Work
- Sheridan Lambrook and Amanda Torres, Third Place Single Subject Feature Package, Double-truck (two-facing pages), for “University of La Verne inaugurates 19th president.”
- Sarah Van Buskirk and Lindsey Pacela, Certificate of Merit, Single Subject Feature Package, Double-truck (two-facing pages) for “Sex Workers: Stepping Out of the Shadows.”
La Verne Magazine Individual Award Winners
- Olivia Modarelli, Second Place for Single News Feature Photograph for “Making Music and Memories at The Haven”
- Chris Rogers, Third Place, Photo Illustration for “The Best Pizza in La Verne.”
- Kim Toth, Certificate of Merit, Cover Design for General or Feature Magazine, for La Verne Magazine Winter 2024
- Chris Rogers, Certificate of Merit, Cover Design for General or Feature Magazine, for La Verne Magazine Summer 2024
Karina Rodriguez can be reached at karina.rodriguez@laverne.edu.
Karina Rodriguez is a senior journalism major with a concentration in broadcast journalism, and editor-in-chief of the Campus Times. She has previously served as sports editor, social media editor, arts editor and a staff writer.
