About The Orion

The Orion is the student-run newspaper of the journalism department at Chico State.

Every Wednesday, 7,000 copies of The Orion are printed at the Chico Enterprise-Record and distributed around Chico State and the community. The Orion has been in print since 1975 and has been on the Web since 1994. The print edition of The Orion is divided into five sections: news, opinion, sports, entertainment and features. In fall 2007, about 50 journalism students serve as section editors, reporters, photographers and copy editors. The Orion is designed by graphic design and communication design students, and The Orion business department is run primarily by business students. To contact Orion editors and managers, please visit our Contact The Orion page.

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Awards

The Orion has won many national and statewide awards. Below is a short list of the top awards

National Awards

ACP NATIONAL NEWSPAPER PACEMAKER
Category: General excellence (university, non-dailies)
Presented by: Associated Collegiate Press

Pacemaker Finalist: 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2002-03; 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06
National Pacemaker Winner: 1988-89, 1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 2002-03; 2003-04, 2004-2005**, 2005-06
National Online Pacemaker Winner: 2007
**SPECIAL NOTE: The Orion was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame for its Pacemaker achievements.

NNA BETTER NEWSPAPERS CONTEST
Category: General Excellence (university)
Presented by: National Newspaper Association

First Place: 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006
Second Place: 2003, 2007

ACP NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Category: General Excellence (university non-dailies)
Presented by: Associated Collegiate Press
Where: National College Newspaper Convention

First Place: 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2007
Second Place: 2006
Third Place: 2005

ACP NATIONAL BEST OF SHOW COMPETITION
Category: General excellence (four-year university weekly broadsheets)
Where: National College Media Convention
Presented by: Associated Collegiate Press

First place: 2004 (Nashville), 2005 (Kansas City, MO)
Second place: 2002 (Orlando)
Third place: 1996, 1997 (Orlando, Chicago)
Fourth place: 2001 (New Orleans)
Fifth place: 1998 (Kansas City)
Honorable Mention: 2006 (St. Louis), 2007 (Washington, D.C.)

SPJ MARK OF EXCELLENCE
Category: Best all-around university weekly
Presented by: Society of Professional Journalists

First place: 2000, 2004

Statewide Awards

CNPA BETTER NEWSPAPERS CONTEST

Category: General excellence (four-year college or university)
Presented by: California Newspaper Publishers Association

First place: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004*, 2006

*No other university paper has won this award more than four times total.

CCMA MAIL-IN COMPETITION

Category: General excellence (university non-dailies)
Presented by: California College Media Association
Judged by: Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, Orange County Register and San Jose Mercury News

First place: 2004, 2005
Second place: 2006

CCMA MAIL-IN COMPETITION

Category: General Web Site Excellence, overall
Presented by: California College Media Association

First place: 2006

CCMA CONVENTION

Category: General excellence (university non-dailies)
Presented by: California College Media Association

First place: 2004, 2005

CIPA CONVENTION

Category: General excellence (college or university)
Presented by: California Intercollegiate Press Association

First place: 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003

2002 & 2003 JAMES MADISON FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AWARDS

Category: Student Journalist (College)
Presented by: Society of Professional Journalists, Northern California Chapter

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Check out our Alumni page for a list of our working alumnus and Hall of Fame members.

If you have any questions, please e-mail onlineeditor@theorion.com.