By Kimberly Chin
Members of The Chronicle staff and its Sports section received awards from the New York Press Association (NYPA) and Newsday in recognition of their work.
NYPA has given out the “Best College Newspaper” awards since 1930, judging approximately 4,000 entries a year. The Chronicle’s Sports section received third place for 2007, as well as an honorable mention for its sports coverage.
“It’s an honor to get recognized for all the hard work that our writers and photographers do,” said Sports Editor Stephen Cooney. “But there is no reason why [the Sports section] shouldn’t be first place next year,” he added.
Brian Bohl, a senior staff writer and freelancer for the Daily News, received third place from the NYPA for his column writing. He first submitted a “Viewpoint” piece to The Chronicle during his freshman year in 2004 and was made a full-time columnist the next semester.
“It’s rewarding for me,” Bohl said. “I am better now than [I was] back then. This award is a validation for my work done.” Bohl has also received a Folio award for his work at the University radio station, WRHU.
The Chronicle won three 2008 Newsday “School Journalism Contest” awards. Grace Kho, who was the graphic designer in the Fall, won first place for typography and layout.
Christopher Clyne, a staff writer who won first place for local news/history with his article, “Symbols of Hate Spread Across Long Island,” reported on the string of noose incidents that occurred from late last year.
“I think it’s a credit to this University that our experienced professors give us the knowledge and skills needed in publishing the truth,” Clyne said in an e-mail.
Kayla Walker, a writer for The Chronicle for four years and Editorial editor for the last two semesters, took third place for her commentary in an editorial, “Asinine Clothesline Ban Causes National Uproar.”
She expressed her shame for her home state of Oregon when a woman who hung her clothes in her backyard as an environmental stance was threatened with legal action by Oregon authorities.
“Between my freshman year and now, I’ve seen The Chronicle improve vastly, and these awards are a confirmation of that,” said Brendan O’Reilly, who graduated last December, and was the editor-in-chief of The Chronicle in Fall 2007. “The Chronicle’s editorial staff are the hardest working students on campus, and they definitely earned the recognition.”
“The more confidence the student body has in the paper, the better the University is,” Bohl said.