Columbia Scholastic Press Association
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| Abbreviation | CSPA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1925 |
| Headquarters | New York City, United States |
| Location | |
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Executive Director
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Edmund J. Sullivan |
| Website | cspa.columbia.edu |
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) is an international student press association, founded in 1925, whose goal is to unite student journalists and faculty advisers at schools and colleges through educational conferences, idea exchanges, textbooks, critiques and award programs. CSPA is affiliated with Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
CSPA memberships for student media are offered for print publications or online media, but not by school or chapter. The CSPA accepts newspapers, yearbooks, magazines and online media edited and produced by students in middle schools, high schools, colleges and universities for membership. Schools and colleges may be public, private or church-affiliated institutions located in the United States, Canada, or overseas schools following an American plan of education.
Memberships for student media are offered in two forms: Regular (with critique) and Associate (without critique). Both forms of media membership include eligibility for the Crown Awards and eligibility for the first 50 prepaid entries in the individual Gold Circle Awards.
"To make good writing the basis of successful student publications" was one of the earliest goals for the Columbia Scholastic Press Association. From its beginnings in 1925, the CSPA sponsored annual contests to seek out and publicize the best practices in student writing, editing and publishing. Student newspapers and magazines were the earliest formats chosen for these competitions. Student yearbooks were added in 1935. Today, online student media have been added as the technology of communications expands from print into cyberspace.
The CSPA offers several contests and a critique service for student media. The contests, including the annual Crown Awards and the Gold Circle Awards, select the best from among many entries. The Crown Awards signify overall excellence among student print and online media. The Gold Circle Awards honor the best work completed by student reporters, editors, designers, photographers, artists, poets, fiction writers, and other staff members of all types. An annual Medalist Critique is not a contest although it does provide one of several ratings to student media. The critique is a teaching tool to provide detailed guidance on how well a student print or online media is currently progressing, and how it could improve during the following year.
Spring National Convention (held in mid March) This three-day convention is open to student editors and faculty advisers to newspapers, yearbooks, magazines, video productions and online media from schools throughout the United States and Canada, as well as overseas schools following an American plan of education. Convention delegates can choose from separate seminars, lectures and workshops featuring professional journalists, award-winning advisers and leading student editors as presenters. Advisers can partake of three different luncheons. Students will have swap shops for networking and exchanges. And face-to-face on-site critiques will be available each day for interested staffs.The winners of the Crown Awards for top publications will be presented at the Awards Convocation on Friday afternoon.
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