RIT Student Magazine Wins National Pacemaker Award

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Katie Thompson

The Associate Collegiate Press recently recognized Reporter magazine with a Pacemaker award for its Imagine RIT 2011 submission.

Rochester Institute of Technology students often agonize over the thought of waking up one morning and not having access to their cell phones, laptops and other various technologies. In celebration of this year’s Imagine RIT festival, students at the Reporter interviewed students and wrote features on how technology impacts the lives of students. One reporter did the unthinkable and lived life for a whole week—sans modern technology.

Based on this issue, The Associate Collegiate Press awarded Reporter, RIT’s student-run weekly magazine, with a Magazine Pacemaker Award. Reporter was honored for its work at this year’s National College Media Convention, Oct. 29, in Orlando, Fla.

Staff of The Atlantic judged this year’s submissions. RIT was one of 10 student print publications to receive the Pacemaker Award, serving as an example exemplar for collegiate-level journalism.

Judges cited Reporter’s issue to be “another well-conceived issue.” Other comments observed the magazine’s good flow and presentation of ideas, solid photography, and clean, strong design.

“Winning a Magazine Pacemaker was a great honor, especially since Reporter was competing with publications from schools with more established, well-known journalism programs and a much longer production schedule. The ability to produce creative and visually appealing content every week is definitely something to take pride in. And it’s really a testament to the type of education and training that RIT students receive in a variety of concentrations, from design and photography to print and new media,” says Madeleine Villavicencio, former editor-in-chief of Reporter magazine. Villavicencio also noted that this achievement would not have been possible without the help and guidance of the magazine’s staff and advisors.

Reporter is the only four-color weekly collegiate feature magazine in the United States. Other magazines recognized have an entire month, quarter or even semester to put their publications together.

The Pacemaker Award is known as the unofficial Pulitzer Prize for student journalism in the United States and Canada. The Associate Collegiate Press started the award in 1927 and honors collegiate magazines, newspapers, yearbooks and websites. Judges evaluate entries based on writing, illustration, photography and design.

In addition to the Pacemaker Award, several Reporter staff members received individual awards. Caitlin McCormick and Joi Ong received Design of the Year and second place for magazine/yearbook spreads. Ko Kawazoe also received Design of the Year and second place for Infographic and Advertising Award and first place for Display Ad. Michael Conti won a Photo Excellence Award, first place for Spot Photo and fourth place for General News.