The Daily Northwestern was named the best daily student newspaper in the country Thursday by the Society of Professional Journalists.

The Daily won the 2016 Mark of Excellence Award designating it as the national winner of the Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper category.

The annual awards presented by SPJ are offered for categories including print, radio, television and online collegiate journalism. Entries are first judged on the regional level, and first-place regional winners move on to the national competition.

The Daily advanced to the national competition after winning the Region 5 Mark of Excellence Award for the Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper category in April. Out of eight regional winners, The Daily was selected as the category’s national winner.

The Daily also won a Pacemaker Award in October, which recognized the paper as one of the best college newspapers in the nation.

Medill senior Tyler Pager, who served as The Daily’s editor in chief during Winter and Spring Quarters 2016, said the paper winning two awards for the same year is an “unbelievable achievement.”

“This award is another testament to the incredible work that the staff produces day in and day out,” Pager said. “I’m so proud of all the work that we’ve done in the last year and to be recognized for it is an incredible accomplishment.”

Medill junior Julia Jacobs, who served as The Daily’s editor in chief Fall Quarter 2016 and Winter Quarter 2017, said winning the Mark of Excellence Award shows that the paper can “hold its own” on a national level.

Jacobs said the award is a recognition of the hard work the paper’s staff puts in every day.

“I hope the reporters and editors that are in the newsroom now just feel gratified and inspired to keep working every day,” she said.

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