The Etownian, Elizabethtown College’s student newspaper, was recently awarded First Place Classification in the American Scholastic Press Association’s Scholastic Newspaper Awards.
Etown was one of just 14 higher-education institutions in the country to be recognized with a first-place honor.
“This past year, we pushed to establish our ‘new normal’ after the pandemic, which resulted in stricter deadlines and production requirements,” Editor-in-Chief and Occupational Therapy major Sophie Hanenfeld ’23, M ’25 said. “This award is not simply a recognition but represents our triumphant effort to restore the paper.”
Hanenfeld stepped into the role of Editor-in-Chief in the fall of 2022 and worked alongside a team of other new editors.
“Collectively, we learned our different roles which resulted in forming a beautiful workspace focused on teamwork,” Hanenfeld said. “The atmosphere that our staff created facilitated a space to produce high-quality issues, allowing The Etownian to obtain national recognition.”
To earn the award, newspapers are scored on a point system and are awarded first, second, or third place in their classification. The American Scholastic Press Association also reviews the paper and provides suggestions for improvements.
The paper is advised by Elizabethtown College Director of the English Creative Writing Program and English Lecturer Erica Dolson.
“Each person who contributed to the paper in the last year brought creativity, hard work, and honest and careful reporting,” Dolson said. “Our paper not only provides information, but we also feature voices from students, faculty, and staff that I hope represent our campus community and highlight the challenges and joys of our campus.”
The Etownian also received first-place awards in 2019 and 2016 from the American Scholastic Press Association.
About the Etownian
The Etownian, Elizabethtown College’s student newspaper, is published weekly during the academic year. The paper is one of the oldest news publications in Lancaster County, beginning production in 1904 and includes a staff of nearly 15 student contributors.
