Collegiate Times writer Caleb Fleming, of Warrenton, Va., a junior majoring in economics in the College of Science at Virginia Tech, is a finalist for the National College Reporter of the Year award, presented by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP).

The award is one of the highest individual honors for a collegiate journalist.

By being named a finalist, Fleming is guaranteed a first-, second-, or third-place finish when the awards are announced Nov. 1 at the National College Media Convention in Austin, Texas. Fleming is a finalist alongside students from Harvard and Yale in the four-year college category. The judges looked at each reporter’s body of work over the 2008-09 academic year.

“My nomination for this award is truly an honor, but it is even more so a testament to the quality of staff working for the Collegiate Times,” Fleming said. “None of my individual success would be possible without the assistance of my adviser, editors, and fellow reporters. The award is most certainly the product of the staff and guidance I am surrounded with and deserves to be acknowledged as such.”

In addition to the Reporter of the Year nomination, the ACP also recognized the Collegiate Times’ advertising staff at College Media Solutions, which is among six finalists for the Best Advertising Campaign. Last March, ACP announced the Collegiate Times’ website as among 10 finalists for the coveted Online Pacemaker award — the highest honor in online collegiate journalism. All of ACP’s awards will be presented at the National College Media Convention Nov. 1. A list of all of the Collegiate Times’ recent awards can be found online.

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper that serves the Virginia Tech community. It is staffed wholly by students, who have ultimate authority over all content and personnel issues. Faculty advisor for the paper is Lynn Nystrom, director of news and external relations for the university’s College of Engineering. Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech is the nonprofit parent company of student media divisions at Virginia Tech, including The Bugle yearbook, College Media Solutions advertising, Collegiate Times newspaper, Silhouette literary and arts magazine, Student Publications Photography Staff, VTTV student television, and WUVT 90.7 FM independent radio.

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