Undergraduate Admissions

Gannon University’s literary art magazine Totem has been chosen for a First Place award with Special Merit in the American Scholastic Press Association’s (ASPA) annual magazine competition.

The first place award is the 14th consecutive won by Totem. In addition, the publication has been honored with the special merit designation three straight years and four of the last five years.

Totem, a student-produced publication of poetry, short stories, prose, artwork, and photography done by Gannon University students, faculty, and staff, competed against publications from other schools nationally.

Gannon students Sara A. Hopson and Ashley R. Kent served as the publication’s co-editors. Berwyn Moore, associate professor of English at Gannon, served as adviser.

Entries were judged and scored by the ASPA in five categories: content coverage, organization, design, presentation, and creativity.

Totem recorded perfect scores in content coverage (400 points out of a possible 400) and in presentation (180/180). The publication earned 960 out of a possible 1,000 total points with other scores of organization, 185/200; design, 135/150; and creativity, 60/70.

Entries to the competition typically need a minimum score of 940 in order to be considered for the special merit designation, according to Dr. Richard Plass, chairman of the ASPA. Reviewers also have some discretion in determining whether publications are worthy of being awarded special merit status, as Gannon was.

“First place with special merit is the highest honor awarded by the American Scholastic Press Association,” Moore said. I’m very proud of the editors and staff for their commitment and many hours of hard work.”

The American Scholastic Press Association is based in College Point, N.Y.