Southwestern College journalism students retained their #1 national ranking in 2012-13 after receiving more than 200 team and individual awards, including national championships from three professional and collegiate news organizations.

The Southwestern College Sun student newspaper led the way. The Sun was named National Collegiate Newspaper of the Year by the National Newspaper Association of Columbia, Missouri, in competition with all of America’s university and college publications. It was the fourth time The Sun has been named national champion in the past eight years and the eighth straight time SWC students were either first or second in the nation.

Southwestern College picked up its eighth Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award, the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate media, in 11 years. The Sun also earned the top awards from the American Scholastic Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists, San Diego Press Club, Journalism Association of Community Colleges, California Newspaper Publishers Association and National Patriot Press Awards.

Southwestern’s journalism program won three major Leadership and Service Awards in 2012-13. The Sun newspaper and El Sol magazine were both honored by the American Scholastic Press Association with its Community Service Award for modeling diversity in collegiate journalism.

The Southwestern College Journalism program was presented the first-ever San Diego Press Club Board of Directors Award for Defense of Free Speech and the First Amendment. The staff and faculty of The Sun were also presented the National Student Press Freedom Award by the College Media Advisors Association and the Student Press Law Center.

Southwestern’s El Sol magazine earned a trio of major awards in 2012-13. It received the top ranking of the American Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Association of Community Colleges, and was a finalist for the Western Publishing Association Maggie Award.

The newspaper’s associated website, theswcsun.com, earned an Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show Award and a Journalism Association of Community Colleges Pacesetter Award, the top awards of both organizations.

Six journalism students were awarded Southwestern College’s highest recognition, the Student of Distinction Award. They are Nickolas Furr, Ernesto Rivera, Lina Chankar, David McVicker, Michael Stinson and Vanessa Hidalgo. Furr became the first student ever to win back-to-back San Diego Press Club Foundation Scholarships.

Amanda Abad, the Editor-in-Chief of The Sun, said the hard work of the students in the program paid off.

“This was a tough year due to funding shortages and we were not able to print as many newspapers as we wanted to, but the work that was published this year was outstanding,” she said. “We are proud to be able to bring a national championship to Southwestern College and all the communities in this region. It shows that there is a lot of talent around here.”

Abad said she expects a strong team in 2013-14.

“We are losing a few of our most talented people to transfer, but we have some excellent younger students ready to move into leadership,” she said. “Plus we always seem to have some great new first semester students ready to come in and do good work. The Sun will continue to shine in 13-14!”