Stephen F. Austin State University

The Pine Log, SFA's twice-weekly campus newspaper, was named the best Division Two college newspaper in the state at a recent conference of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association in San Antonio.

Division Two is composed of Texas colleges and universities with enrollment of 7,000 or more and which publish a non-daily campus newspaper.

Adam Lamar, Nacogdoches senior and current editor of The Pine Log, said the staff members are pleased by the recognition.

"Our student staff members work hard to produce a quality newspaper for the SFA community," he said. "It's great to see those efforts recognized."

Arlene Morales, Freeport senior and a member of the staff of the Stone Fort yearbook for the past three years, won second place in on-site competition for yearbook layout and design.

In addition, 19 current and former SFA students who are involved in student media won awards for entries previously submitted in categories related to newspaper, yearbook, radio and television.

The awards for previously submitted material were based on publication during the spring 2006 and fall 2007 semesters. Judges for the entries were media professionals from across the country.

One of the Division Two judges noted the high quality of the publications in the group.

"Many of these publications could easily serve as commercial or community newspapers," he wrote. "The writing is very strong, the photography and graphics are solid, and the layout and design are highly professional."

The Pine Log, which bills itself as "the independent student voice" of the university, is published twice a week by an entirely student staff during the two long semesters at SFA. The newspaper was first published in 1924, one year after SFA's founding.

Overall first-place winners included Lamar, critical review writing; Lindsey Standley, news feature writing; Micah Goodding, editorial cartoon; and Andy Phifer, editorial writing.

Justin Elbert received second place for photo illustration, and Colleen Martin won third for opinion page design and honorable mention for advertising design. Honorable mentions also went to Sydney Davis for sports column writing and to Thomas Motyka for sports action photo.

Yearbook awards included Michelle Vinklarek, first place for opening section copy; Amanda Reynolds, first place, class/people package; Mindy Arendt, second and third place for photo essay; Justin Elbert, third place for sports action photo; and Holli Conley, third place for student life copy.

Honorable mention awards for yearbook went to Elbert, Reynolds and Chris Edwards for feature/student life package; Arendt and Colleen Martin, opening package; Reynolds, class/people package; Arendt, feature photo, color; Phifer, academics copy; and Chris Bouldin, feature photo, color.

Radio awards went to Ben Shallenberger, second place awards for production and for promotional public service announcements. Shallenberger also received a television award, along with Amanda Policicchio, for public affairs programming.

Honorable mentions in the television category went to Tiffany Eurich for feature story and Jonathan Canfield for production.

TIPA is the country's oldest and largest college media organization, with more than 65 member schools throughout the state. The organization will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2008.