Spokane Falls Community College Newspaper Finalist for “Pulitzer Prize of Collegiate Journalism”
Spokane Colleges today announced that The Communicator, the student-run newspaper from Spokane Falls Community College (SFCC), has been selected as a finalist for the 2025 ACP Pacemaker Award—Widely considered the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism.
Of the 49 finalists nationwide, The Communicator represents one of only nine two-year colleges, and the only college in Washington State to be selected.
“I’m very excited to congratulate editors Alycia Love, Joanna Andrade-Lenz, and the entire student staff for this recognition of their hard work, long hours, and dedication to the SFCC community and the field of journalism,” said Communicator faculty advisor Jason Nix. “The Communicator competes with much larger colleges for this award. To hold their own against much larger staffs and larger colleges is truly remarkable.”
The Communicator’s website won a Pacemaker Award in 2009 and 2010, but this is the first time in the 53-year history of the publication that the print version has been named a finalist for the award.
Winners will be announced in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 18. Just four publications from two-year institutions will earn this year’s Pacemaker Award.
The Communicator focuses on giving SFCC students real-world experience in journalism. Staff learn Associated Press style, practice objective reporting, and cover the stories that matter most to the campus community. The paper also provides a public forum through letters to the editor and other contributions.
Beyond reporting, The Communicator creates a place for students to connect, belong, and build lasting memories. Staff members take pride in producing a publication that is informative, entertaining, and meaningful to readers.
About Spokane Colleges - Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College are part of Spokane Colleges, one of the largest higher education providers in Eastern Washington, serving about 20,000 students each year. Spokane Colleges provides higher education, early learning and corporate and continuing education services across a six-county region in northeastern Washington. Both colleges are accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.