Drake Magazine and Urban Plains, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication senior capstone website, are two of the 30 finalists for Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Pacemaker awards for online publications. The print edition of Drake Magazine was also a finalist for a magazine Pacemaker.

The Pacemaker is the top award in college journalism. Drake and Northwestern University are the only schools to have two finalists. Other finalists include such institutions as Indiana University, Ball State, Syracuse University, and University of Oregon.

In the College Media Association’s (CMA) Pinnacle awards contest, Drake scored two of the three finalists for best news story: an Urban Plains story by Colton Warren, JO’16, on an Illinois town’s recovery from a tornado, and senior Molly Longman’s Drake Magazine story on the challenges facing refugees. A story about a 94-year-old hippie by Avery Gregurich, JO’16, is a finalist for best profile. Urban Plains is a finalist for online main page design, multimedia story and podcast. Drake Magazine is a finalist for portrait photography and magazine cover design.

Winners will be announced at the ACP and CMA conventions in October.

—Kathleen Richardson, Dean, School of Journalism and Mass Communication