Biola University’s student magazine, The Point, was recognized in one of the most prestigious contests for college media for the fourth time in the magazine’s short history. The Spring 2018 issue of The Point has been selected as one of the finalists for the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Pacemaker Award this year, an award given to The Point in years past.

The Pacemaker is the highest award granted for publications by the ACP, a national organization that promotes the work of student media staff and their advisers. Chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Public Relations, Tamara Welter, is the adviser for The Point and has overseen the magazine since its inception.

“To be selected as one of the best magazines published by university students in the nation is such an honor,” said Welter. “I believe the selection encourages our students at this small, Christian institution to acknowledge the quality of the product they can create and to see how, even now, their work draws honor to God.”

Students from journalism and integrated media, art, english and other majors worked together to develop compelling stories, images, and illustrations that they then compiled into an overall stellar design for the Spring 2018 issue.

“The students who work on The Point see the publication as a vehicle for challenging the community to think and discuss deeply topics that matter to the heart of Jesus,” said Welter. “The students strive to do this, though, by presenting well-researched and ethical journalistic approaches. It is an honor for me to work with these students each semester.”

Senior journalism major Monica Kochan was the editor-in-chief for the Spring 2018 issue. She was excited to hear that the magazine was a finalist.

“The [magazine] theme delves into both justice and mercy and how they are powerful forces in life. The content was reflective of these concepts in subtle and direct ways,” said Kochan. “The overall magazine was focused in order to create pause for people to consider important topics, including some that are covered less frequently.”

Kochan led a team of editors, writers, photographers, and designers to produce the publication that was nominated. The Point was one of only a handful of campus magazines nationwide to be a finalist in the Pacemaker Award competition, reflected as “the best of the best” student publications.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” said Laura Widmer, executive director, in an ACP press release. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

In past years Pacemaker finalists have included schools like the University of California Los Angeles, University of Wisconsin Madison, Drake University, Syracuse University, University of Oregon, and Virginia Commonwealth University.

The Point has been selected as a finalist three other times in their short history, receiving the Pacemaker Award one of those times. This year's selections were announced at the ACP/CMA conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in October.

Written by Jenna Loumagne, manager of media relations. For more information, contact Jenna at (562) 777-4061 or jenna.loumagne@biola.edu.