The Highlander wins Keystone Award

Editors of The Highlander received a prestigious Keystone Press award for ongoing news coverage at the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association’s America East Newspaper Operations and Technology Conference in Hershey in April.

Editors Mallory Vough, ‘08, Amanda Janiga, ‘09, Rachel Decker, ‘10, and Copy Chief Jennifer Gomez, ‘08, led The Highlander staff to the second place award with a series of stories about the health care crisis in the U.S. LaSalle University placed first and Temple University received an honorable mention in the category.

The Highlander’s coverage culminated in a public Health Care Summit in which local and state government officials, health care providers and the uninsured comprised a panel of guests who answered questions from faculty, students and the public about health care availability, affordability and proposed health care legislation. A standing-room-only crowd of more than 200 people attended the April 2008 Summit.

All students and faculty in the communications department participated in the student-run event. Students designed and placed advertisements, contacted media organizations, organized venue arrangements and planned all details, including parking.

Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell spoke on campus about his health care initiatives in November as a result of an earlier invitation to the Summit.