The Seahawk, UNCW’s student-run newspaper since 1947, was recognized Oct. 28 as a finalist for a 2017 Online Pacemaker Award at the 2017 ACP-CMA National College Media Convention in Dallas, Texas. The Pacemaker is the Associated Collegiate Press Association’s preeminent award and is often called “the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.”

The Seahawk also received a Convention Best of Show award for its online edition (small school category). The Best of Show award signifies overall excellence among the attendees and entries at ACP conventions and workshops.

The Seahawk newspaper publishes a news in print monthly and online, www.theseahawk.org, throughout the school year. It is a registered student organization that enjoys complete editorial independence. Its editorial staff consist entirely of UNCW students.

Casey McAnarney, a senior double majoring in English (professional writing) and communication studies, has served as the Seahawk’s editor-in-chief since fall 2016.

“When I started at The Seahawk my freshman year, it was commonplace for each section to publish two articles a week on a non-mobile friendly website,” she said. “The thought of a national award nomination was not something with which we were concerned; we had to worry about keeping students interested in reading and being involved in our paper. Now, we have grown to publish around 20 articles per week online, and we have national recognition for our work. I am unbelievably proud of my staff and the work they have done to improve The Seahawk, and I hope that with the support of the university, we can continue this growth. I cannot wait to see where future aspiring journalists and truth-seekers take The Seahawk in the coming years.”