WKU Yearbook Finalist For National Pacemaker Award
February 19, 2008 - Bowling Green, Ky. - The 2007 Talisman, Western Kentucky University's yearbook, has been named a finalist for a national Pacemaker Award.
The Talisman is one of 15 finalists selected by the Associated Collegiate Press. Awards will be presented at the group's annual convention Oct. 29-Nov. 2 in Kansas City.
Heather Mitchell, a graphic design graduate from Versailles, was editor of the 2007 Talisman. Nancy Heathman, a visual arts graduate from Jamestown, was design editor and David Degner, a photojournalism graduate from Augusta, Ga., was photo editor. Co-advisers for the 2007 Talisman were Bob Adams and Jackie Bretz. Fran Gardler was the photo adviser.
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association also has recognized the 2007 Talisman as Collegiate Crown finalist.
The award, either a Gold Crown or Silver Crown, will be presented March 16 at the College Media Convention in New York City.
Student Publications has a new home
November 12, 2007 - Bowling Green, Ky. - The Adams-Whitaker Student Publications Center was dedicated at the 57th annual Student Publications Homecoming Breakfast on November 10.
The facility is named for Bob Adams and the late David B. Whitaker, both WKU graduates who served as editor of the College Heights Herald and as director of Student Publications (Herald and Talisman). Both are members of WKU's Hall of Distinguished Alumni and the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame.
The ceremony included remarks from President Gary Ransdell; Provost Barbara Burch; Chuck Clark, president of the Student Publications Alumni Association and chairman of the fundraising steering committee; Bob Adams; and David T. Whitaker, representing his father and his sisters Julie and Jane.
A grassroots fund-raising campaign by Student Publications alumni has helped raise more than $1 million for the $1.6 million facility.
Adams was Herald editor in 1964, has been an adviser to the paper since 1968 and has been director of Student Publications since 1990. He received his bachelor's in 1964 and master's in 1965.
Adams was named Journalism Educator of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists in 2007, was inducted into the College Media Advisers Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 2005 and received the Distinguished Newspaper Adviser Award from the National Council of College Publications Advisers (now CMA) in 1978, the WKU President's Diversity Award in 2004 and the WKU Student Advisement Award in 2005.
Whitaker served as Herald editor in the 1942-43 school year and again in 1947-48 after returning from active duty with the U.S. Marine Corps. He was head of the journalism department from its inception in 1977 until his retirement from the position in 1987 and was director of Student Publications from 1970 to 1987. Whitaker received his bachelor's in 1948 and master's in 1949.
Whitaker, whose newspaper career included positions at Bowling Green Daily News, The Courier-Journal and The Louisville Times, was inducted into the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame in 1986. He also was a member of the Kentucky Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the National Council of College Publications Advisers (now CMA). He died in 2005.
WKU Student Newspaper, Yearbook Honored In New York
March 19, 2007 - Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University’s student newspaper and yearbook were recognized Saturday (March 17) at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association awards convocation in New York City.
The College Heights Herald, WKU’s twice-weekly student newspaper, received a Silver Crown for the spring 2006 semester. Michael Casagrande, a December graduate from Louisville, was editor.
The Herald also received 15 Gold Circle Awards while the Talisman, WKU’s yearbook, won 21 Gold Circle Awards.
WKU was among seven schools receiving Silver Crown awards. Others were Kansas State, North Carolina State, Ithaca, Oklahoma, Texas-Arlington and Laramie County Community College. Gold Crown winners were Indiana, Ball State and Santa Ana College.
Versailles senior Heather Mitchell won three first-place awards in the Gold Circle yearbook competition. She won for academic spread, information use of graphics and organization or Greeks spread. Co-designer of that spread was Bowling Green sophomore Libby Isenhower.
Other first-place winners were Tyler Pelan, a December graduate from Louisville, sports action photograph; Sara Holcombe, a senior from Vancleave, Miss., feature photo; and the staff for sports spread.
Placing second were David Degner, a senior from Augusta, Ga., sports action photograph; Bowling Green senior Jeff Giraldo, academic photograph; and Mitchell and Katie Clark, a May graduate from Bowling Green, student life spread.
Isenhower and Mitchell shared a third for student life spread; Clark was third in color spread; Carla DePoyster Winn, a May graduate from Big Clifty, information use of graphics; Nicholasville senior Tina Plunkett and Clark, organization or Greeks spread; and the Talisman staff for mini-magazines.
Receiving certificates of merit were Columbia senior Justin Fowler, sports action photo; Jamestown senior Nancy Heathman, headline writing and academic spread; Mitchell, academic spread; Mitchell and Clark, division page design; Crestwood senior Rachel Droste, organization or Greek writing; and the Talisman staff for theme and concept.
The Herald staff received first-place awards for single subject presentation for special sections and single page black and white subject presentation. The staff also won second in the special section category.
Also placing second was Kat Wilson, a senior from Knoxville, Tenn., for page one design, and Nick Adams, a freshman from Friendswood, Texas, feature photograph.
Certificates of merit were awarded to Casagrande, sports page design; Louisville senior Ashlee Clark and Casagrande, opinion page design; Wilson and Casagrande, front with sports feature page one design; Wilson, feature front page one design; Clark, editorial writing; Shelbyville junior Samantha Hupman, news writing; Louisville senior Danny Schoenbaechler, single subject presentation with color; Greg Barnette, a senior from Birmingham, Ala., Holcombe and Nathan Morgan, a senior from Normal, Ill., photo story; and the Herald staff for overall design and photo story.
2006 Edition Of WKU Yearbook Earns Gold Medalist Rating
January 11, 2007 - Bowling Green, Ky. - For the first time since resuming publication in 2003, Western Kentucky University’s yearbook has earned a Gold Medalist rating by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, a program of the Graduate School of Journalism at Columbia University in New York.
The 2006 Talisman earned 952 out of 1,000 possible points in a rigorous critiquing. The all-color publication had 458 pages and featured a 50-page section highlighting WKU’s Centennial celebration.
Katie Clark of Bowling Green was editor of the 2006 Talisman. Bob Adams and Jackie Bretz are the yearbook advisers; Chad Stevens was the photo adviser.
The 2006 Talisman was recently selected to be featured on DaVor Photography’s website gallery. The book was “chosen for its creative page designs and exceptional use of photography.” Featured Talisman pages may be viewed on the DaVor gallery at www.davor.com
The Talisman resumed publication in 2003 after a six-year absence.*
WKU Yearbook Wins Third Consecutive National Pacemaker
October 30, 2006 - Bowling Green, Ky. - For the third consecutive year since resuming publication in 2003, Western Kentucky University’s yearbook has won a national Pacemaker award.
The 2005 Talisman was one of five yearbooks honored by the Associated Collegiate Press during Saturday’s award ceremonies at the National College Media Convention in St. Louis. The Talisman, which resumed publication in 2003 after a six-year absence, now has won 10 national Pacemakers. Katie Clark of Bowling Green was editor of the 2005 Talisman. Bob Adams and Jackie Bretz are the yearbook advisers.
The other yearbook winners were Indiana University, Kansas State University, Northwest Missouri State University and James Madison University.
The College Heights Herald, WKU’s student newspaper, was a Pacemaker finalist.
During the Oct. 25-29 convention, Student Publications director Bob Adams was inducted into the College Media Adviser Hall of Fame. Adams received the group’s highest honor for his dedication to student journalism and College Media Advisers. Adams, Herald editor in 1964, has been an adviser to the paper since 1968 and has been director of Student Publications since 1990.
College Heights Herald
Issue date: 3/14/06 Section: Opinion
COMMENTARY: Yearbook really is your yearbook
By: Katie Clark
When the Talisman returned from a six-year absence in 2002, we began a rebuilding process. In less than three years the Talisman returned to the top, receiving national awards and growing in size.
Students expressed a great amount of interest in the Talisman, but were shocked by a price tag of almost $100. An initiative was started to make the Talisman available to all students. Last March the student body passed legislation that recommended the Board of Regents create a $9 per semester student activity fee.
This fee would allocate funds to ensure every student who wanted a Talisman would receive one free of additional charge.
Through their budgeting process, the Board of Regents opted not to create a student activity fee but instead create funding for the Talisman from three places: additional funds from the state, additional and regular tuition and reallocation from within the general budget. The Talisman is not a student activity fee, as we had thought until recently. Instead, it is included as a small part of your regular tuition and the general university budget.
The Talisman is a service, just like Preston, the library and computer labs. Every student does not take full advantage of every service offered by Western, but these are services to which we, as students, expect to have access.
These services receive funding through our tuition, some through designated student activity fees. Something has to pay for all the opportunities we are offered.
What would a university be without a library or gym? What would Western be without the Talisman? The Talisman has a strong tradition since 1924. It documents Western's history and captures your memories of your time on the Hill. The Talisman is the one memory the university is offering you for your tuition, other than your diploma, that you can pack in a suitcase once your days here have passed.
The Talisman strives to be your yearbook. We create an award-winning product that features something for everyone on our diverse campus.
This could not be achieved without the support of you, the student body. This year alone we have more than doubled the number of senior and underclassmen portraits, and we have received an overwhelming response from clubs wanting to include their picture in the 2006 Talisman.
I want to thank all those who have made this possible and encourage all those who have not reserved a 2006 Talisman to log onto TopNet and do so. This 400-plus page book includes many special features to help commemorate Western's centennial.
Your appreciation for the Talisman will grow through the years. Imagine 10 years down the road. I have no clue where I will be or what I will be doing, but I know there will be a moment when I find myself wanting to slip back into my college years, a time when I want to remember the score of a basketball game, enjoy the beautiful campus I once roamed so carefree or remember the name of the professor who inspired my life's passion.
It really is your yearbook.
The Talisman tells the stories of those who experience life along with you on the Hill throughout the year. It captures the "spirit" of Western through vivid memories and raw emotions, unlike any other memento could.
It's like a time machine in a book.
It's up to you to take advantage of this service, just like Preston or attending athletic events, but I strongly encourage you to reserve your copy today through the student services page of TopNet.
It is often said, "a picture is worth a thousand words." Well, if that is the case, then the Talisman is priceless.
WKU Student Newspaper, Yearbook Win National Pacemakers
October 31, 2005 - Bowling Green, Ky - Western Kentucky University’s student newspaper and yearbook have continued their tradition of winning national Pacemaker awards.
The College Heights Herald and the Talisman won the awards Saturday at the ACP/CMA National College Media Convention in Kansas City. The Pacemaker awards, co-sponsored by the Associated Collegiate Press and the Newspaper Association of America Foundation, are considered to be the Pulitzer Prize of college journalism.
WKU was the only university to take home national Pacemakers in both newspaper and yearbook competition.
The Herald, which competes in the four-year non-daily newspaper category, has won the national Pacemaker 11 times. The Talisman has nine national Pacemakers for yearbooks, including two straight awards since resuming publication in 2003.
“It’s quite a tribute to the students who produce Herald and Talisman for both publications to win their top national award,” said Robert Adams, director of Student Publications. “In addition to the top-notch students who work on the newspaper and yearbook, we have other advisers and a support staff who contribute significantly to our success.”
This year marks the sixth time the Herald and Talisman have won national Pacemakers at the same convention. Others were 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988 and 2003.
Herald editors for the fall 2004 and spring 2005 semesters were Danny Schoenbaechler and Shawntaye Hopkins, both of Louisville. Schoenbaechler is a copy editor at the Anniston (Ala.) Star, while Hopkins is serving as Herald editor again for the fall 2005 semester. Adams is Herald adviser.
J. Michael Moore, a May 2005 graduate from Franklin, Tenn., was editor of the 2004 Talisman. He is publications coordinator for the NFL’s Denver Broncos. Talisman advisers are Adams and Jackie Bretz.
The Herald also swept the Best of Show competition at the awards program Sunday morning. The paper won Best of Show for non-daily broadsheet newspapers for the Oct. 13 issue and its new student orientation issue, View of the Hill, placed first in special sections.
Matt Rountree, a May master’s graduate from Elizabethtown, and Nicole Koestel, a Louisville junior, were in charge of View of the Hill. Rountree is brand manager at The Courier-Journal. JoAnn Thompson, Student Publications business manager, and Adams oversee the summer publication. The 2005 Talisman placed fourth in the Best of Show competition for yearbooks under 300 pages. Katie Clark, a Bowling Green senior, was editor of the 2005 Talisman. More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
