The Daily Iowan in October was named an Online Pacemaker winner by the Associated Collegiate Press for 2020—21. The Pacemaker is considered the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism.
The DI was one of 14 winners nationally. The honor was The DI’s first Online Pacemaker, and seventh Pacemaker in the newspaper’s history. In 2019—20, The DI won a Newspaper Pacemaker and the most recent award marks the first consecutive win in 20 years.
In addition, The Daily Iowan had three national award winners and three other staff members who finished in the top four for individual awards:
- Staff won first in COVID-19: Print News for our special section that served as a one-year reflection on the pandemic.
- Yassie Buchanan won first in Column for her column on Black history education.
- Robert Read won first in Sports Game Story for his story on Luka Garza passing Roy Marble as Iowa men’s basketball all-time leading scorer.
- Alexandra Skores placed third in Diversity Story for her feature on 50 years of the Latino and Native American Cultural Center.
- Katie Goodale placed third in Sports Game/Action Photo for her photo of Luka Garza.
- Julia Shanahan placed fourth in Human-Interest Profile for story on a man who died because he couldn’t afford insulin.
“I am very proud of our staff and these accomplishments, particularly while enduring the pandemic and the circumstances from a mostly remote newsroom,” says Daily Iowan Publisher Jason Brummond. “It’s quite an accomplishment to be recognized as a Pacemaker winner and to have three individual winners in the premier national collegiate journalism competition.”