WASHINGTON D.C.-The State Hornet Newspaper won first place at the 23rd Annual National College Media Convention, taking home the Pacemaker Award for the best four-year non-daily in the country on Saturday.

Former editor in chief of the Hornet, David Sommers, said that this award is the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.

“This is complete euphoria. It solidifies that despite all you go through, all the headaches, that someone out there appreciates what you’re doing. It means we’re the best weekly newspaper in the country, ” Sommers said.

The Associated Collegiate Press and the Newspaper Association of America Foundation have co-sponsored this competition since 1971.

Entries are submitted beginning in May, and judging is completed October 25. Finalists are chosen, and at the convention in November, winners are announced.

More than six hundred college newspapers were entered in the four-year non-daily category. The State Hornet was the only newspaper in California to win.

The Hornet was honored for the entire breadth of work in its 1999 issues. Sommers said the award means the paper excelled in all areas.

“This is the bar that has been set, this is what the newspaper is all about. The groundwork for this award was started by my predecessor. John Montgomery brought back journalistic integrity and professionalism and those were the principles that we built upon,” Sommers said.

Newspapers are judged on coverage, content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership on the opinion page, evidence of in-depth reporting, design, photography, art and graphics.

The Hornet has been published for 53 years. This is the second time the paper has been a finalist in the competition, and the first time winning the award.

“It’s an amazing accomplishment. Despite what the Hornet went through last year: all those lawsuits and launching daily operations for the first time. It’s a testament to all the people that participated,” Sommers said.

Throughout much of his year as editor, Sommers was involved in a high-profile lawsuit for invoking his shield law rights and spending more than four months in contempt of court to protect the names of confidential witnesses.

Last year’s Faculty Adviser for the Hornet, Professor Sylvia Fox, said the staff worked hard to bring the paper to this point.

“I think it’s when you put together a good team. When you win a Pacemaker it’s because every section is doing their job. That’s what I like about this award, it’s not just for one part of the paper,” Fox said.

Sommers said the credit goes to the Hornet staff.

“I am so proud of the people that work there. The smartest thing I did was hire people that produced outstanding work. We had a talented team of editors who raised the bar,” Sommers said.

The current Faculty Adviser to the Hornet, Professor Michael Fitzgerald, said the Hornet has come of age.

“It’s a great honor for the newspaper to win one. This year’s staff has a high standard to live up to,” Fitzgerald said.

Communication Studies Department Chair, Professor Val Smith, has hopes that this award will convince people that excellence is an achievable thing.

“I think sometimes we don’t really stop to reflect on the effort and passion put into things. Obviously, the staff of the Hornet had great passion,” Smith said. “I think college is a place where you practice trying to conquer the world in a non-threatening atmosphere. So that is exactly what they’re supposed to be doing.”

Current editor in chief of the State Hornet, Nadine Simonson, said that this award signifies where the Hornet is headed.

“As far as next year goes, I believe the newspaper is continuing on the path of excellence. I think we can make the Hornet even better this year,” Simonson said.