The Arrow earned first place in the Best Newspaper category for four-year schools with more than 10,000 undergraduates enrolled — the category which represents the largest schools in the country.

Apple awards are given as a “Best of Show” at the annual CMA Spring National College Media Convention. They are so named in honor of David L. Adams, a longtime College Media Advisers stalwart and adviser at Indiana University, who died in 2007. 

“It means a lot to be recognized on that large of a platform,” said Arrow Editor Nathan Gladden, “not only for myself but also for my staff who are being recognized for the hours of work and thought they put into every issue that comes out.”

Three newspaper issues were submitted to judges for review in the Apple awards. The Arrow was judged on the Jan. 26, Feb. 9 and Feb. 23 editions of its biweekly print product. 

Dr. Tamara Zellars Buck, Arrow faculty co-adviser and chair of the Department of Mass Media, said she was excited to see her students compete and win top honors in the first on-site competition since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“The combination of hard and soft news and excellent photography, along with great choices in terms of headline writing, story placement and overall attention to graphic design made my decision to submit the first three papers of this semester an easy one,” Buck said.

While no feedback is shared from competition judges, Buck said it is amazing how much this year’s Arrow staff has grown as storytellers and designers.

“Each staff is different and has its own strengths, quirks, and things that make them special,” Buck said. “What doesn't change is the time and effort students put in. It's always a validation when that work is recognized, especially in national competitions.”

Gladden said the current group of Arrow editors stands out for effective management of their newspaper sections. 

“They all know their sections to a ‘T,’ and that makes them very capable of understanding what to put on a page and how they might want it to look,” Gladden said. “Our staff who designs the paper include myself, Nicolette Baker, Clay Herrell, Jasmine Jones, Emma Kratky and Kailyn Veach, all of whom have a good grasp of what their prospective reader would want to see, and I think that contributes a lot.” 

The staff always tries to take into consideration the interests of its audience, Gladden said. 

“That goes into how we design and the stories we pick,” he said. “So, not every section of our newspaper looks the same; it's unique and engaging throughout while still staying consistent in design principles.” 

Baker, features/copy editor, said she thought the content and news value were quite strong in the issues submitted for competition. The staff’s thoughtfulness to connect written content with design strengthened the cohesiveness of the submitted editions, she said.

“Our team is composed of hardworking, passionate people,” Baker said. “We're all unique in our ways, and the Arrow newsroom allows us to pursue our own creative goals.”

That individual creativity is what worked so well for the newspapers the Arrow entered into the Apple Award contest, Baker said.

“In each of the sections, every editor put their heart and soul into those pages. We took risks based on our own creativity and ideas,” Baker said.

“We were also extremely honest with each other and not afraid to voice our differing opinions,” Baker said, noting her pride in the staff’s comfortability to consider all opinions.

Next year, Gladden said he hopes to keep the newspaper and its audio/video productions in award-winning shape, as well as find more ways for the University’s student population to interact with the Arrow and vice versa.

“I've been very excited about what new things we've done with the paper and looking to keep that going,” he said.

Gladden plans to continue working for the Arrow until he graduates in December 2023. 

Baker, who will graduate this spring, said she looks forward to reading the Arrow as an alumna and watching new reporters continue to innovate content. 

“In the youngest group of reporters, I've seen lots of new perspectives on how to create content that's dynamic and engaging,” Baker said. “Maybe that doesn't look like a traditional story — and that's totally okay!” 

Buck, who has long served as faculty adviser to the Arrow, will step away from the role at the conclusion of this semester. As such, Buck said: “Every victory is a little more special.”