Daily honored as one of the country’s top college papers

The Daily Northwestern was awarded one of college journalism’s highest honors on Saturday, receiving the 2000-01 Pacemaker from the Associated Collegiate Press for newspaper excellence at the organization’s annual convention.

The Daily, which has been selected as the state’s best college newspaper four of the past five years by the Illinois College Press Association, shared the honor with 21 other newspapers, seven of which publish daily.

Editor in Chief Casey Newton, who accepted the award at the convention in New Orleans, said it was “tremendously gratifying” for the newspaper to have been recognized.

“We’ve been honored as the best in Illinois several times recently, but we haven’t had as much national recognition, so that was very exciting,” said Newton, a Medill senior. “While we are proud, at the same time we feel like we can be a much better paper. By no means do we think we are sitting on the top of the mountain.”

Former Daily Editor in Chief Matt Palmquist said he was proud of the newspaper’s coverage, but didn’t put much stock in the award.

“Those people aren’t on campus seeing how stories we’re writing are impacting (students),” said Palmquist, Medill ’01. “On that score, I think The Daily has done pretty well over the last couple years.”

The Daily submitted four issues from the 2000-01 academic year and was judged by members of The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune in reporting, writing, design and layout for the award.

Although the newspaper always has tried to emphasize a combination of strong writing and innovative design, Newton said, the talent of current staff members has allowed the paper to improve.

“The people who work at The Daily are passionate people,” he said. “That passion comes through in every issue we put out, and I hope that came across to the judges.”