Baylor journalism’s back-to-back ‘triple crowns’ top a slate of recent honors

You’re likely familiar with Baylor’s three major student-run publications: the Lariat newspaper, the Round Up yearbook, and Focus Magazine. But did you know they win armfuls of local and national awards nearly every year?

Most recently, Baylor was the only university in the country to earn Crown Awards for overall excellence in all three major print categories (newspaper, yearbook and magazine) at the prestigious Columbia Scholastic Press Association competition. Even more impressively, this was the second year in a row that Baylor stood alone in winning this “triple crown.” (Can you say back-to-back champs?) At the same competition, the Lariat and Focus Magazine also brought home first place awards for their websites.

But Baylor journalism has also moved beyond those traditional print pieces. This year alone, the Baylor Lariat has won a whopping 25 state and national awards for its broadcast journalism. (Yes, the Lariat is no longer just a newspaper; student reporters now record podcasts and file audio and video reports, too.) Last fall, the Associated Press — a standard-bearer in the world of journalism — profiled how Baylor journalists are adapting in today’s digital era.

“Winning a national title is a rare and significant accomplishment in any field,” says Paul Carr, BA ’83, MA ’08, Baylor’s director of student publications. “Such recognition elevates Baylor’s academic prestige within this profession, and it tells the world that Baylor students who work for the Lariat, Round Up, Focus and other student publications are prepared to work in any news organization in the country.”

Well said.

Sic ’em, Baylor journalism!