And yet again....Ithacan takes top honors (are we the best OR WHAT?!?)

The Ithacan has been named the number two nondaily student newspaper in the country for 2007 by the Society of Professional Journalists.

The paper was presented with the second-place National Mark of Excellence Award at SPJ's 2008 National Convention and Journalism Conference on September 5 in Atlanta. Erica R. Hendry '09, the paper's 2007-8 editor in chief and current special projects manager, accepted the award on behalf of the paper.

The Society of Professional Journalists is the largest organization of professional reporters and editors in the country. Each year SPJ presents the Mark of Excellence awards to recognize outstanding work among college and university newspapers.

The Ithacan was awarded the first-place Mark of Excellence Award for best nondaily newspaper in the Northeast region (SPJ Region 1) in April, and then went on to compete against 11 other regional winners in the national competition. George Washington University's GW Hatchet ended up taking the top prize.

AND ANOTHER THING.....

The Ithacan has been named a Pacemaker finalist and the Ithacan Online has been named an Online Pacemaker finalist for 2008 by the Associated Collegiate Press.

The winners of the award -- widely regarded as the "Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism" -- will be announced at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in Kansas City on October 31.

The Associated Collegiate Press is the oldest and largest national membership organization for college journalists in the country. The Ithacan last won the Online Pacemaker Award in 2007, and won both the Pacemaker and the Online Pacemaker in 2006.

This year's competition was judged by the staff of the St. Petersburg Times.