Indiana State University Newsroom

Indiana State University students from the Indiana Statesman and The Sycamore yearbook won 14 awards in the 2016 Indiana Collegiate Press Association competition.

"The students who are involved with The Sycamore yearbook and the Indiana Statesman newspaper put a tremendous amount of effort into providing publications that serve the Indiana State University community," said Martha Milner, director of student publications. "In return, they receive invaluable work experience and get to be part of groups that work together toward common goals."

The staff received the awards at the ICPA Convention on April 9 at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis. The 2014-15 Sycamore yearbook won a first-place award, a second-place award and four third-place awards in ICPA's Yearbook Division 2.

The Sycamore staff won a first place award for Best Special Section for the organizational life section. Jon Garcia, photo editor, won a second place award for Best News Photography for the Peter Gros event on campus. 2014-15 Editor Martin Maynard, Design Editor Nicole Jones, Content Editor Esther Perisho and Garcia won a third place award for Best Execution of Theme. Jones, Alec Baumgartner and Taylor Nobbe won third place for Best Overall Design. Jones and Nobbe also won a third place award for Best Cover. In addition, The Sycamore received a third place award for Yearbook of the Year in Yearbook Division 2.

"These awards are extremely important to Indiana State's yearbook; they signify the acknowledgment of effort and the growth of The Sycamore," said Nicole Jones, current editor and last year's design editor. "A university's yearbook is a published collaboration of experiences, moments, and memories - for Indiana State and its students. It's an honor to receive recognition for the staff's diligent commitment and The Sycamore yearbook's success."

The Indiana Statesman newspaper received four awards. Photo Editor Marissa Schmitter won a first-place award for Best Feature Photo for a photo of Bid Day 2015. Photographer Tre Redeemar won second place in the Best Sports Photo competition for a photo of ISU football player Connor Underwood. Alex Modesitt, who served as Statesman editor-in-chief during the 2015 calendar year, received a second-place award for Best Feature Page from the Sept. 28, 2015, issue. Modesitt and designers Grace Adams, Carey Ford and Sarah Hall also won a third-place award for Best Overall Design for the Nov. 2, 2015, issue.

Modesitt, who served as EIC from fall 2014 through fall 2015, said, "The ICPA design awards are a reflection of all the hard work the staff put in while transitioning to broadsheet."

The Statesman Advertising Department won two first-place awards and two second-place awards. Chief Ad Designer Josh Lewis won first place for Best Black and White Display Ad. Lewis also won a second-place for Best Electronic Display Ad. Designer Kylee Bledsoe won first place for Best Rate Card for the Indiana Statesman 2015-16 Rate Card, and Designer Rodney Black won second place for Best Ad Layout.

"The newspaper's ad designers are a creative group of students who use their talents to held the Statesman's advertising clients design creative ads that appeal to the campus community," Milner said. "It's important work not only for the newspaper and the campus, but also for Terre Haute and Wabash Valley businesses."

ICPA members include more than 40 member publications (newspapers, news magazines, literary magazines, yearbooks and online publications) at more than 30 of Indiana's public and private universities, according to the ICPA website. Their board members consist of faculty advisers and student representatives from the universities.

ICPA was started in Terre Haute in 1957 when publications advisers and journalism students met at Indiana State. The founders hoped to promote fellowship and cooperation among the state's collegiate journalists and publications.

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Media contact: Martha Milner, Director of Student Publications, Indiana State University, 812-237-3028 or martha.milner@indstate.edu