FPU student journalists have plenty of reasons to celebrate after the annual California College Media Association (CCMA) awards banquet March 3, 2018, in Long Beach. The Syrinx newspaper took home nine awards, including two first place awards: one for best social media platform and one for the top category of best newspaper.
This is the second consecutive year that The Syrinx has taken home CCMA awards, having won four at last year’s banquet.
FPU competed alongside Pepperdine, Biola, Loyola Marymount, Chapman and several other universities in the B-division comprised of four-year schools with under 10,000 students.
A group of eight FPU students, along with Adam Schrag, Ph.D., assistant professor communication and student media advisor, also joined hundreds of other college journalism students and advisors from across the U.S. and Canada for the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) annual midwinter conference in Long Beach, March 1-3.
The ACP conference offered sessions with media professionals, including journalists from the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. Students attended panels on informative and tutorial topics, including reporting, social media, integrated student media, photojournalism, design and leadership. Students were able to network and learn from other media publications as well as interact with professionals at top media outlets.
List of 2018 CCMA Awards for The Syrinx
1st place
- Best newspaper (Courtney Moore, Kelsey Rij, Laurel Samuelson and staff)
- Best social media platform (Alina Gutridge and Kellie Stiff)
2nd Place
- Best photo illustration (Andrew Hart, Leonel Loera and Odalis Sanchez)
3rd place
- Best arts and entertainment story, “Theater program struggles to find designated space on campus” (Leonel Loera)
- Best sports photograph (Matlyn Morris, Odalis Sanchez, David Wier)
Honorable Mention
- Best news series, “Ethnic sash controversy” (Gabrielle Rivas)
- Best newspaper column, “DACA keeps me at FPU” (Jakeline Buenrostro & Rachel Cooper)
- Best overall newspaper design (Courtney Moore, Kelsey Rij, Laurel Samuelson and staff)
- Best newspaper Front Page Design (Antonia Reyes, Laurel Samuelson, Kelsey Rij)