Marist Circle Receives Columbia Scholastic Press Association Recognition
The Marist Circle was recently awarded the Silver Crown Award in the Hybrid News category by The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). The Marist Circle also had four individual writers win Gold Circle Awards in the Campus News and Opinion sections in 2021.
The CSPA was founded in 1925 at Columbia University and works to unite student editors and faculty who produce newspapers and other online media. Crown Awards are the highest recognition given by the CSPA to student publications in print or digital media for overall excellence.
“The Circle staff has worked hard in the past few years to resurrect a printed edition while enhancing the paper’s website and its social media presence,” Faculty Advisor Kathleen McNulty said.
The awards are based on the evaluation and discretion of Crown Judges at the CSPA. Gold Crown Awards were first awarded in 1982, and Silver Crown Awards were added in 1984. When deciding on what publications to honor, the judges look at content, design, photography, coverage, writing and editing.
Looking at both the print edition and online content from the Marist Circle, the CSPA awarded the Circle the Silver Crown for hybrid news. The hybrid news category is a print publication that provides coverage on its website between print editions.
“COVID threw some huge roadblocks their way, but the staff met every challenge,” McNulty said. “It’s terrific that their work is being recognized again, and it’s especially meaningful considering the tough competition in the Columbia Scholastic Press Association contest.”
In addition to the overall award for the Marist Circle, Sarah Lynch ’21, Gabriela Maynard ’21, Julianne Fagan ’23 and Emily Stellakis ’24 won individual Gold Circle Awards for their work. Lynch, last year’s Editor-in-Chief of the Circle, won for an article she wrote in the Campus News section, while the other three won in the off-campus opinion category.
Lynch’s article that won the Gold Circle award was titled “Students Allege Clery Act Violations at Marist––and the College Refutes.”
“I feel so proud of the piece I produced on the student protest last year, but I’m even more proud of the Circle staff’s achievement across the board,” Lynch said. “With three wins in the personal opinion section and a Silver Crown award overall, it’s clear that the Circle staff stepped up.”
The article was written in the 2021 spring semester and addressed student concerns regarding Title IX. Students accused the college of violating the Clery Act — which the college subsequently refuted.
The Clery Act is a federal statute that requires the disclosure of campus crime statistics and other security information at colleges and universities that participate in federal student aid programs.
In the off-campus opinion section, Maynard won a Gold Circle award for her article titled “Fast Fashion Isn’t Just an Environmental Issue; It’s a Feminist One.” In the article, Maynard addressed the fast fashion industry and how it relates to the poor treatment and dangerous working conditions for women across the world.
“I was frustrated seeing so many students wear clothing from fast fashion brands,” Maynard said. “I wanted to show students, especially those who identify as female, the link between the fast fashion industry and negative effects on female garment workers in hopes to give people another reason to shop substantially.”
Winning another individual Gold Circle Award in the off-campus option section was Fagan. She won the award for her article titled “Not All Men” Trend is an Attack Against the 97%.”’ In this article, Fagan discussed the fact that a majority of women have endured sexual harassment or assault. In the article, she discusses how the discussion around “not all men” actually serves to further silence women and put them in danger.
“Not only is journalism and writing my life’s passion, but this topic specifically is so remarkably important to me,” Fagan said. “This article took the most effort both physically and emotionally. I remember wanting to ensure that I would be proud of the finished project and that it properly represented the women in my life who have been affected by sexual assault.”
Finally, in the off-campus opinion section, Stellakis, the current City/National News Editor, won the Gold Circle Award for her article titled “Georgia’s New Voting Laws are Blatant Voter Suppression.” In this opinion piece, Stellakis addressed Georgia Republicans who passed new voting legislation named SB 202. She argues that while the bill is said to promote election integrity, it is actually anti-democratic legislation that will disproportionately impact voters of color.
“As someone passionate about protecting and expanding voting rights, I was thrilled to have a platform like the Marist Circle to voice my opinion on the harmful voter suppression legislation in Georgia last year,” Stellakis said. “It means a lot as a young journalist to learn that people appreciate your work.”
Moving forward, the Marist Circle continues to strive for excellence in journalism in both print and online platforms. As a campus club, the Marist Circle invites feedback from readers and encourages them to reach out with any questions or concerns.