By Paul Carr
Director of Baylor Student Publications

The Columbia Scholastic Press Association recently announced its most prestigious awards for collegiate publications. This year, 1,203 digital/print newspapers, magazines and yearbooks were eligible for judging in the 2015 Crown Awards Program. Of those 1,203 publications, 39 were recognized with a Crown, and only one university in the United States received three Crowns –– Baylor.

“We don’t (track) the numbers per institution since our focus is on the individual publications,” said Edmund Sullivan, executive director of CSPA. “However, my impression is that it is relatively rare for a single college to merit three Crowns in the same year. Clearly, it is a sign of excellence and very productive effort.”

The new honor recognizes Baylor as having one of the premier student media programs in the nation:

• Trailing Baylor with a second place tie nationally with two CSPA Crown Awards were Oregon, Oklahoma, Miami (FL), Indiana, Pennsylvania and Savannah College of Design.
• Baylor vs. Texas: No other university in Texas received even a single Crown – Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the Big 12: The other nine universities in the Big 12 combined for three Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the Atlantic Coast Conference: The 14 universities of the ACC combined for three Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the Pac 12: The 12 universities of the PAC 12 combined for three Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the Big 10: The 14 universities of the Big 10 combined for two Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the Ivy League: The 8 universities of the Ivy League combined for two Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor vs. the SEC: The 14 universities of the SEC combined for zero Crown Awards. Baylor earned three.
• Baylor received more Crowns than the Ivy League and SEC combined!
• Baylor’s Focus magazine was the only student magazine in Texas and the Big 12 to win a crown.
• Baylor was the only university in Texas and one of only two in the Big 12 (OU) to win a crown for its yearbook.
• Baylor was the only university in Texas and one of only three in the Big 12 (OU & Iowa State) to win a crown for its newspaper.
• Baylor’s Focus magazine was one of only eight magazines to receive a Gold Crown making it a national Top 8 magazine.
• The Baylor Roundup yearbook received a Silver Crown –– only three Golds and two Silvers were awarded, making it a national Top 5 yearbook.
• The Baylor Lariat/baylorlariat.com received a Silver Crown as a College Hybrid Publication. Only seven Golds were awarded along with six Silvers, making it a national Top 13 newspaper/news website.

The CSPA Crown Awards are just the latest recognition of Baylor student journalists working for student media. So far this year, national recognition has come from Editor & Publisher Magazine, the Associated College Press, College Media Association, the Society of News Design and the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ).

Regional recognition has come from SPJ and the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), while Texas recognition has come from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Houston Press Club.

Baylor Student Publications consists of the Baylor Lariat (newspaper), the news website www.baylorlariat.com, the Baylor Roundup (yearbook), Focus magazine and the new Lariat Television News (LTVN). All content is created and produced by Baylor students.