DATE: October 02, 2008
CONTACT:
Patrick Neal, 864-656-7671
pneal@clemson.edu
WRITER:
Hannah Sykes, 864-656-2061
hsykes@clemson.edu
Taps named best college yearbook in the nation
CLEMSON — Clemson University’s annual Taps yearbook was named the most outstanding college yearbook in the country for the fourth year in a row.
The American Scholastic Press Association awarded Taps with both First Place with Special Merit and Most Outstanding University Yearbook for 2008 in its annual competition.
Yearbooks are scored across five categories for a possible total of 1,000 points, including content presentation, general page design, general photography, publication structure and creativity. Taps earned 960 of the possible 1,000 points.
The first yearbook was published in the 1906-1907 school year. Taps takes its name from the bugle song traditionally played when the cadets retired at the end of the day when Clemson was a military school.
This year marks Taps’ 100th volume. The yearbook is actually 102 years old but no editions were published in 1944 or 1945 due to World War II.
Taps will hold its 100th Volume Alumni Celebration at the Tiger Den in Memorial Stadium Nov. 1.
Taps is a student-run organization. Work begins in August and continues until the deadline in early March. Immediately after, the staff begins collecting photos from late spring that will be included in the next year’s edition.
Patrick Neal, associate director of student media and lecturer of journalism at Clemson, is the adviser to Taps.
“I cannot overstate how proud I am of our yearbook staff,” Neal said. “I have always told them, year in and year out, that they are second to none. And once again they have the national accolades to prove it.”
The 2008 edition’s managing editors were Kristen Purvis and Beth Rosner. Both have graduated and live in New York. Chrissy Dombrowski and Katherine Holland are the co-managing editors for the 2009 edition.
The managing editors are responsible for developing the yearbook theme and cover. They also supervise the planning, proofing, designing and advertising of the yearbook as well as helping the staff complete it before deadline.
“It is exciting to be recognized for the work the entire staff puts towards creating a beautiful book that anyone who loves Clemson will want to read now and in the future,” said Holland, a senior in management from Spartanburg.
“The award means that this year's staff, Katherine and I — all of us — have a lot to live up to with the 2009 yearbook,” said Dombrowski, a senior English major from Mount Pleasant.
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