The Eastern Progress, the student-produced campus weekly newspaper at Eastern Kentucky University, has received the top national award for college publications.

The Progress was the only weekly paper among 295 entries to receive the Gold Crown at the College Media Convention sponsored by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and College Media Advisers. Judging was based on work during the 1999-2000 academic year.

Other Gold Crown winners included campus papers at Kansas State University, Ball State University, Indiana University, University of Oklahoma, University of Texas-Arlington and Michigan State University.

"Because all four-year schools, whether they publish weeklies, bi-weeklies or dailies, compete in the same category, this is like being in NCAA Division I tournament," said Progress Adviser Dr. Libby Fraas. "The 1999-2000 staff follows in what I consider a Progress trademark: presenting news and features in a thoughtful, compelling way. Our staff works hard to coordinate reporting, writing, editing, photos and graphics in telling stories each week."

The newspaper experience is a valuable component of journalism education at EKU. "The journalism program at Eastern works closely with the Progress to give students hands-on experience," Fraas said, "but our numbers are small. If someone majors in journalism at EKU, I will be all over them to join the staff as soon as they step foot on campus. You don't have to stand in line to get a job and a byline or a photo credit in our paper. The Progress also provides experience and training for students in business, art, English, political science and many other disciplines as well."

Individually among 1999-2000 Progress staff members, Jeremy Stevenson took second place for a sports column and third place for a first-person experience column; Shane Walters won first place for opinion page design and Jaime Howard and Krystal Roark teamed for second place in single subject presentation. Several other staffers received certificates of merit.

EKU's Department of Communication offers bachelor's degrees in journalism, broadcasting and public relations, and affords numerous opportunities for practical experience through The Progress, cable television news shows, the campus radio station and co-op and internship positions.