"The Natsihi" student yearbook wins record 17 awards from Columbia Scholastic Press Association

Whitworth students who were staff members of the 2009-2010 edition of Whitworth's yearbook, The Natsihi, have won a total of 17 Gold Circle Awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. This is the highest number of Gold Circle Awards The Natsihi has ever won.

The Natsihi writer Mary Rump took first place in academic writing, designer Damon Buck took third place for cover design (pictured at right), and the staff as a whole took third place for theme and concept. Other categories in which The Natsihi won awards include informational graphics photography, page design and presentation.

The Natsihi has never won more than five awards from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association in a given year, and this kind of widespread recognition is a first for the yearbook, says Michaela Allen, current yearbook editor. Last year's issue also was the first to feature a DVD supplement.

"I'm really proud of the leaps and bounds last year's book made in photo and design quality," Allen says.

Tad Wisenor, The Natsihi's advisor, attributes much of the 2009-2010 issue's success to a restructuring of the staff.

"Charley Brinkman, last year's editor-in-chief, revamped the staff model we used," Wisenor says. "Much of the success from last year came from that new energy and from her creativity and organization."

Through maintaining specialized editing positions that concentrate on the strengths of this year's staff, the 2010-2011 issue is anticipated to be very strong as well. The yearbook staff currently has 17 staff members, seven of which are editors.

"We allowed last year's book to set a new bar for us, and we're working to build on those gains by developing even more creative ways of covering events and presenting them visually," Allen says.

This year's yearbook also will have a DVD supplement, which will include a portion of President Beck A. Taylor's inauguration ceremony. The 2010-2011 issue also will be printed on high-quality paper that is different from past issues.

Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). The university, which has an enrollment of nearly 3,000 students, offers 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Contact:

Tad Wisenor, campaign director in institutional advancement, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4401, or twisenor@whitworth.edu.

Emily Proffitt, public information officer, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703, or eproffitt@whitworth.edu.