The Spinnaker, the University of North Florida’s student-run media organization, won big at the National College Media Convention in New Orleans late last month.
The final issue of The Spinnaker newspaper was among the recipients of the 2013 Pacemaker Award, one of the highest awards given by Associated Collegiate Press.
The Spinnaker transitioned from a weekly tabloid style newspaper to a glossy magazine magazine with full-length feature stories at the beginning of the fall 2013 semester. Daily hard news stories are still posted online at UNFSpinnaker.com.
The Spinnaker newspaper and magazine both were among the winners for best in show in their categories, taking first and third place respectively. They were judged for overall excellence compared to all other entries at the convention.
Joey Taravella, the art director for the print department of the Spinnaker, said he is happy the last issue of the newspaper went out with a bang.
Taravella believes that the shift to a magazine format provided more opportunities for students to get involved with the publication as there is a greater need for artists, graphic designers, and photographers.
The Spinnaker is also trying to keep up with non-collegiate news organizations in transitioning from print to online media.
Lydia Moneir, Spinnaker daily news editor, said that she is proud of The Spinnaker’s accomplishments, but added that this round of awards are just the beginning.
“I think we can look forward to other years where we might win other awards because we’re not done yet. We’re not done trying new things. We’re not done developing it and trying to make it as close to a professional organization as we possibly can,” she said.
Moneir also said that The Spinnaker owes a lot of thanks to their advisor, John Timpe, who she said consistently encourages an environment for teaching and learning among students.
