OBU publications earn top honors from Columbia Scholastic Press Association

T wo of Ouachita Baptist University’s student publications, the Ouachitonian yearbook and the Signal weekly newspaper, received Gold Medalist honors from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

The Ouachitonian was critiqued in the categories of concept, design, writing, coverage and photography, receiving All-Columbian Honors in design, coverage and photography. All-Columbian is the highest honor awarded in each category. If a publication as a whole receives high enough marks, it earns Gold Medalist honors, the highest rating given to college yearbooks across the nation.

“As the editor of the 2008 book, I worked hard to bring the staff together as a team to create a quality publication,” said Audra Hinson, a senior mass communications and Spanish major from Little Rock, Ark. “Winning awards makes our work more rewarding.”

“I am proud of the Ouachitonian staff for continuing the tradition of producing an award-winning yearbook,” said Dr. Deborah Root, OBU yearbook advisor and chair of OBU’s mass communications department. “Not only are the staff members dedicated to producing an outstanding book as judged by professionals, but of producing a book that tells the story of Ouachita Baptist University.”

The Signal was similarly judged. The paper was critiqued first as a whole, and then evaluated by specific categories such as content, design and the strength of each individual section. Chloe O’Connor, editor of the Signal, submitted five papers, three consecutive issues and two of her choice to be critiqued for the Gold Medalist rating. “This means a lot to me because it shows how much work the staff put into the paper,” said O’Connor, a senior mass communications major from Louisville, Colo.

“I am pleased to see the Signal recognized for its excellence by the leading student journalism organization in the country,” said Dr. Jeff Root, dean of OBU’s school of humanities and advisor for the Signal. “The students run the show, and they’re very dedicated to it. Chloe O’Connor is a formidable talent as editor-in-chief and her ability to attract and manage a strong staff is the greatest key to the paper’s success.”