Monmouth University’s student-run newspaper, ‘The Outlook,’ was recognized in September as “Most Outstanding University Newspaper For 2019-2020” in the Scholastic Newspaper Special Category of the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) competition.
The ASPA cited the dedication of the paper’s staff and its faculty adviser, Prof. John Morano, for the notable quality of the publication. ‘The Outlook’ took top honors in the annual contest, facing strong competition from news outlets including Fordham, Southern Illinois, Iona, St. John’s, and Liberty University.
“It is an honor to be recognized by the ASPA for our hard work and dedication to accurate and relevant reporting,” said Caroline Mattise, who served as editor-in-chief of ‘The Outlook’ during the 2019-2020 academic year. “This award solidifies the role that student journalists play in upholding the Fourth Estate in our society and within our institutions.”
Morano, the paper’s adviser for more than 30 years, said, “It’s always a great honor to be recognized in an independent national competition. Certainly, we do not produce the paper with the intention of winning awards. Our hope is to serve the University readership and further the development of student journalists in that pursuit. Our mantra is, ‘Be fair and tell the truth.’”
Current Editor-in-Chief Melissa Badamo, who served as features editor during the competition timeframe, said, “I’m glad that our exceptional team of writers and editors were recognized as the talented, hard-working journalists they are… I look forward to continuing the success of our esteemed newspaper.”
Richard M. Plass, Ed.D., chair of the ASPA judging committee, observed, “The quality of a school’s publications and how they present themselves to their reading community is a guidepost to the quality of the publishing school.”
This is the fifth time ‘The Outlook’ has received this honor from the ASPA. The paper has also been recognized nationally in the past by Society of Professional Journalists, Keystone Chapter as “University Newspaper of the Year,” and by the Student Press Association with their highest award as “Top 10 in the Nation.”
‘The Outlook’ is one of the longest-running student activities at Monmouth and has been printing since the school’s inception as Monmouth Junior College in 1933.