The Rocket wins Society for Collegiate Journalists awards

April 12, 2018

The Rocket, the independent, student-run newspaper at Slippery Rock University, won several awards from the 2018 Society for Collegiate Journalists, the nation's oldest organization serving college media leaders.

The Rocket took first place in the "Best Overall Companion Newspaper Website" category for www.theonlinerocket.com, and first and third places for "Best Overall News Page" for the "Pre-Kwanza Celebration" and "Expectations for New President" pages, respectively, in the Oct. 13, 2017, print issue. The paper took second place in the "Best Overall Sports Page" category for the Oct. 13, 2017, issue and third place and honorable mention for editorials written about the University's presidential search, Oct. 12, 2017, and a response to a letter from the Klu Klux Klan, Nov. 2, 2017.

Students earning individual awards included Paris Malone, a junior computer science major from Alexandria, Virginia, winning first place in the photo slideshow category for her photos from the Pre-Kwanza celebration. Daniel DiFabio, a senior journalism major from Washington, took second place in the multistory news series category for his coverage of the SRU presidential search. Justin Kraus, a senior communication major from Aliquippa, captured third place for his sports feature, "Rock football alumnus remembered for personality," Dec. 7, 2017.