Student journalists also dominate JACC, San Diego Press Club awards

   For the sixth consecutive year Southwestern College’s student newspaper, The Sun, was named America’s best community college newspaper by the National Newspaper Association at is annual convention in Omaha, Nebraska. The Sun was ranked #2 in America for all university and college newspapers, finishing just behind the University of Utah. SWC was ranked #1 for all college and university newspapers last year and three out of the last five years by the NNA.

   Student journalists from SWC followed up that announcement by winning 39 awards at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges conference in Fullerton, one shy of the conference record held by Southwestern. SWC won the top awards for both its print newspaper and on-line publication. Three days later the San Diego Press Club presented The Sun and 26 of its staff members a total of 67 awards at its annual Excellence in Journalism banquet at the Hall of Champions in Balboa Park. The Press Club awards – a record total – were presented in collegiate and professional categories.

   Earlier this fall the Society of Professional Journalists presented eight national awards to Southwestern journalism students in Washington, D.C. and 21 regional commendations.  The Sun was also named America’s top community college newspaper by the America Scholastic Press Association and received top honors from the Columbia University Scholastic Press Association, California College Media Association and the Associated Collegiate Press this year.

   “The South Bay can be very proud of its students for representing this community and Southwestern College is such a positive way to America,” said Diana Inocencio, the editor-in-chief of The Sun. “I have never seen a harder-working, more devoted team of students.  We are very proud to represent our hometowns of Chula Vista, National City, Imperial Beach, Coronado, San Ysidro, Bonita and South San Diego across the United States.”