ROCK ISLAND, IL (04/13/2012)(readMedia)-- Augustana College's student-run newspaper, the Augustana Observer, won 14 awards at the annual Illinois College Press Association (ICPA) conference held recently in Chicago. The publication received third place in general excellence and set an Augustana record by receiving six first-place journalism awards.
James Stratton, a sophomore from Sherrard, Ill., majoring in multimedia journalism and mass communication was among the students honored.
"The student newspaper is an ideal place for journalism and graphic arts students to hone their skills," said Jim Dyer, visiting associate professor of communication studies and advisor to the Augustana Observer.
Kelvin Mason, associate professor of art and graphic design, added, "I think it's a really great collaborative opportunity between different people who have different things in mind about what they want to happen in a publication."
The Observer competed in two divisions: the Open Division, which includes all colleges and universities in the state, and the Non-Dailies Division for colleges with a student population less than 4,000.
The ICPA awards and other Augustana College journalism awards will be handed out at the annual Fourth Estate Awards Banquet on Sunday, May 6, at 12:30 p.m., in the Loft of the College Center (3750 7th Ave., Rock Island, Ill.). At this event, administrators, faculty, staff, students and their parents will celebrate the journalism successes of all students during the last year. The keynote speaker will be Mark Konkol, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter at the Chicago Sun Times.
