Ithaca College

  The Ithacan has been named a Gold Medalist for 2019–20 in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s annual college publication critique. The judges evaluated issues of the paper, as well as the website, produced last academic year (Sophia Adamucci ’20, editor in chief; Zoë Freer-Hessler ‘20, managing editor). The CSPA critique consistently ranks The Ithacan as a Gold Medalist, its highest category. 

  Among the judges’ summary comments: “What distinguishes The Ithacan are the numerous serious issues the writers address through substantive research and interviewing; the outstanding interviewing skills result in thoughtful, in depth quotes. All topics are covered responsibly and maturely. It is rare to see a publication that embraces and excels at all the elements of journalistic writing, but The Ithacan does.”

 Each year the CSPA evaluates member papers on overall content, news, depth reporting, features, opinion/editorial, sports, arts/entertainment, editing/headline writing, and design/graphics based on more than 150 specific criteria. This year the paper scored 985 on the critique’s 1,000-point scale — it’s highest cumulative score in the past decade. In addition, the paper was awarded All Columbia Honors — an additional citation for special merit — in all three of the critique’s categories: Essentials, Verbal and Visual. The publication was evaluated in the critique’s “hybrid” category, which is defined as “print publications that provide live coverage via website between print editions.”

  The CSPA critique is distinct from the organization’s Crown Awards, its top honor. The Ithacan was presented with a Silver Crown in March at the Spring National College Media Convention.