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The Heights, the independent student newspaper of Boston College, has won its third consecutive Pacemaker Award, issued annually by the Associated Collegiate Press for excellence in collegiate journalism.
One of only 11 non-daily newspapers recognized for the prestigious honor, The Heights was joined by The Tech at MIT as the only other New England paper to win the award this year. Other winners nationally included The News-Letter at John Hopkins University, The Universe at Brigham Young University, and The Loyolan at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
Criteria for the award include newspaper coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, opinion-page leadership, layout and design, and photography and graphics.
In addition to the Pacemaker Award for overall excellence, Heights Layout Editor Lindsay Grossman, a senior history major and international studies minor from Frisco, Texas, won a first-place award for infographic design; Photo Editor Graham Beck, a junior biology and German Studies major from Los Altos, Calif., finished third for environmental portrait and fifth for spot news; and former Sports Editor Greg Joyce ’13 won an honorable mention for his coverage of former BC baseball star Pete Frates and his battle with ALS.
“The Pacemaker Award is a testament to the hard work and long hours every member of The Heights regularly dedicates to the newspaper,” said Heights Editor-in-Chief David Cote, a senior chemistry and theology major from Burlington, Conn. “It is an honor to have our efforts recognized with an award as prestigious as the Pacemaker, and we are proud to continue a growing tradition of excellence with three straight wins.”
Added Heights News Editor Eleanor Hildebrandt, “Winning a Pacemaker Award for the third consecutive year is a great honor. I’m incredibly proud of my fellow editors, and glad that their talents and dedication are being recognized.”