LUBBOCK, Texas (NEWS RELEASE) – The following is a news release from Texas Tech University:

The Daily Toreador (The DT), Texas Tech University’s student-run newspaper, and La Ventana, the university’s yearbook, were recognized Thursday (April 9) by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) as winners in the organization’s 37th annual Gold Circle Awards program.

“I’m so proud when our students are recognized on a national level for excellence in college media,” said Susan Peterson, director of Toreador Media. “It’s validation that the learning environment in Toreador Media is successful.”

The DT won six awards in the digital media competition, including a first-place nod in sports commentary, two awards in single sports news photo, two awards in the single sports photo category and a certificate of merit in single feature photo.

The winning entries were published between Oct. 2, 2018, and Oct. 1, 2019, on The DT’s website, dailytoreador.com.

The 2018-2019 yearbook captured 16 awards, including a complete sweep of the Student Life Spread: Multi-page Spread contest. Editor-in-chief Davian-Lynn Hopkins, a senior graphic design major, took first and second places and a certificate of merit in the category.

Contributors to the yearbook also earned first-place wins in feature photo and personality profile while placing in feature writing, sports action photo, feature photo, informational graphics and several other categories.

The Gold Circle Awards recognize superior performances by student journalists in high schools, colleges and universities throughout the U.S., according to the CSPA website. The organization, founded in 1925, is an international student press association whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges, textbooks, critiques and award programs.

This year, more than 5,700 yearbook and digital media entries were entered in the Gold Circle competition, according to the CSPA email announcing the award recipients.

The DT and La Ventana are part of Toreador Media, which operates under the direction of the College of Media & Communication at Texas Tech University.

Click here for a full list of the CSPA award winners.

(News release from Texas Tech University)