Baylor student magazine named nation’s best by Society of Professional Journalists

Already this year, Baylor’s Focus Magazine has been named the best student-produced magazine in the country by the Society of Professional Journalists, and The Baylor Lariat has been honored as the top student newspaper in the state by both the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors and the Houston Press Club.

Those are just three of the 100+ individual and staff awards brought home by Baylor student publications over the past year. In recent years, Baylor’s student journalistic efforts have expanded to include not only the Lariat, Focus Magazine and Roundup (yearbook), but also Lariat TV News, podcasts, JPRNM Magazine and The Corral (alumni newsletter).

While we don’t have the space to list every award they received, even an abbreviated rundown of team honors speaks for itself:

* Best in the Nation — Society of Professional Journalists (Focus)
* Best Overall Newspaper — Baptist Communicators Association (Lariat)
* Best Website — Baptist Communicators Association (Lariat)
* Best Social Media — Baptist Communicators Association (Lariat)
* Best Mobile App – Baptist Communicators Association (Lariat)
* Triple Silver Crown — Columbia Scholastic Association (Lariat, Roundup, and Focus)
* Best Student Newspaper in Texas — Houston Press Club (Lariat)
* Best Newspaper of the Year for 2017 — Texas Associated Press Managing Editors (Lariat)
* Overall Excellence in Texas — Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (Roundup, Lariat TV News, and Lariat Radio)
* Best Overall Design Website — Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (Lariat)

For the students and professionals working into the wee hours in the Castellaw Communications Center and across campus, these honors are both a constant goal and a tradition. The 100+ awards gleaned by Baylor student publications marks the eighth consecutive year Baylor has topped the century mark — every year this decade since 2010.

Sic ’em, Baylor student publications!