The Bachelor wins back-to-back ICPA Awards

*The Bachelor* won 21 awards in 15 different categories and was named 2024 Division III Newspaper of the Year by the Indiana Associated Press Association. | *Photo by Logan Weilbaker ’25*

For the second year in a row, The Bachelor was named Newspaper of the Year in their division by the Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA).

On April 6, student journalists traveled to Indiana University Bloomington, where the 2024 ICPA awards contest was held. Professional journalists from around the state judged content published during the 2023 calendar year. College newspapers from around the state submitted content in 20 different categories and were awarded points based on placement. The newspaper with the most points — in this case, The Bachelor — was awarded Newspaper of the Year.

“Winning ICPAs was a goal our staff established at the start of this year,” said Editor-in-Chief Sam Benedict ’25. “I’m incredibly proud of the effort our team has put in.”

Usually there is stiff competition within Division III, the division in which The Bachelor competes, which includes schools with student enrollment fewer than 3,000. The Echo (Taylor University), The Oak Leaves (Manchester University) and The Record (Goshen College) all took home a handful of awards, but The Bachelor’s true competition was Division III newcomer The Torch of Valparaiso University.

In the past, The Torch has competed in Division II, which includes schools with enrollment between 3,000 and 10,000, but due to a decline in enrollment, dipped below the division cutoff line. Though The Torch hasn’t won Division II Newspaper of the Year since 2015, they gave The Bachelor a run for their money, earning 57 total points, one point behind The Bachelor’s 58.

“Our staff doesn’t have the benefit that other schools have of participating in a journalism or communications program on campus,” said Benedict. “It adds another layer to our win when we remember that none of The Bachelor writers have formal schooling in the subject.

“Considering we only won by one point, every single writer was paramount to our win,” Benedict continued. “It’s a testament to the hard work that everyone from staff writers to photographers to editors have put into the paper this year.”

All in all, The Bachelor took home 21 awards in 15 different categories, which judge quality of written content, photos, page design, illustrations, and more.

“The range of important stories tackled by veteran and new reporters, editors and photographers was astounding,” said Allie Northcutt, one of The Bachelor’s advisors. “I’m incredibly proud of these student journalists who never stopped working hard to continuously improve the paper while also remaining committed to the mission of being the student voice of Wabash College.”

Each newspaper is allowed two submissions in each category, and first, second and third place awards are bestowed for each.

With a grand total of 58 points, edging out 2nd place Valparaiso University by a single point, The Bachelor took home awards in the following categories:

Single Issue

3rd place – Staff – March 24, 2023

Themed Issue

3rd place – Staff – Beat DePauw!

News Story

3rd place – Benjamin Bullock, Tiernan Doran, Cooper Smith – War in Ukraine, one year on

In-Depth Story

1st place – Benjamin Bullock – ‘There’s a fear around walking away’: Wrestlers quit team after health and well-being concerns allegedly go ignored

Sports News Story

1st place – Benjamin Bullock – Jack Heldt ’23 wins national title, goes unbeaten on season

Sports Feature Story

3rd place – Benjamin Bullock – Wabash celebrates the life of Rem ‘The Big Cookie’ Johnston ’55