The Beacon placed first in Editorial Writing in regional competition
(The Beacon)
By Hannah Gray, News Editor -- gray12@up.edu
Over the weekend, The Beacon won first place for Editorial Writing in the Mark of Excellence Awards sponsored by the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ), Region 10, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. The Beacon now advances to the National Mark of Excellence competition.
Opinions Editor Caitlin Yilek, who writes the weekly editorials with input from the entire editorial board, said she was surprised to win.
"I don't think I've wrapped my head around how big this award is," Yilek, a senior, said. "I'm going to nationals. It's an honor because The Beacon editorials can take a lot of flack or promote change on campus. This award proves our words can make a difference, or at least they can win awards."
The Mark of Excellence Awards honor the best collegiate journalism in the U.S. The Beacon competed not only against other weeklies but against daily college newspapers as well.
The first place winners from the 12 regions will advance to the national round of judging, and the winners will be announced in late April.
"I think this award is a testament to how strong the Beacon writers are and how good the editorial board is at choosing topics that directly relate to the community both on and off campus," Editor-in-Chief Rosemary Peters, a senior, said. "I'm just very proud of everyone on staff because this award is an incredible achievement."
