The Sun, Southwestern College’s student newspaper, has been named one of America’s Top 100 college publications of the last century by the Associated Collegiate Press, home of the prestigious Pacemaker often considered the Pulitzer prize of college media.
To celebrate its centennial, the Associated Collegiate Press honored the top 100 publications in America. The awards were judged based on the publications’ previous Pacemaker wins. The Sun won its first pacemaker in 2003 and competed against universities publications more than 100 years old. Since 2003, The Sun has consistently won Pacemaker awards for its newspaper and website. A number of individual Southwestern College students have also earned top awards in writing, photography, editing, design and more. In 2019, The Sun was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame.
Dr. Max Branscomb, journalism professor and adviser to the Sun, said this honor is shared by both the students and the entire Southwestern College community.
“If there is a larger message here it is: the South County communities we serve produce talented children and college students with vast potential,” Branscomb said. “Sometimes people here are slow to believe that, but it’s true. Southwestern College has produced some of America’s best journalism students and some of its most talented journalists. We also produce gifted artists, teachers, elected officials, doctors, musicians, medical researchers and more. Our college can be an incubator of dreams and a gateway to greatness.”
The Sun was recognized alongside esteemed student publications from universities including Northwestern, Missouri, UCLA and USC. The Sun has consistently launched graduates into successful and high-profile journalism careers, including nearly every news organization in San Diego and national outlets like Politico.
The Sun will be honored at the ACP centennial celebration in October during the National College Media Convention in New Orleans.
