Orland Park residents, members of Lewis University's The Flyer newspaper receive recognition

The print and online student editions of Lewis University’s student newspaper, The Flyer, were recognized Feb. 13 at the American Collegiate Press Association’s “Best of the Midwest” newspaper convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Both editions were awarded fourth place in the “Best of Show” category.  In the “Multimedia Package” category, Lyndsey Powers, online editor-in-chief, and Lauren Pirc, assistant news editor, earned first place.

As one of 38 participants in the conference and competition, The Flyer was the only college or university newspaper from Illinois to be recognized.  “The Lewis students are very deserving of these awards. The ‘Best of Show’ award is really meaningful to the staff as it is formal acknowledgment of their teamwork and commitment,” commented Lisa O’Toole, adviser of The Flyer.

The mission of The Flyer is to report news and to provide a forum for the discussion of issues relevant to the Lewis University community through the print and electronic medium in a manner consistent with the mission of Lewis and the accepted norms of American Journalism.

Staff members include Carlo Calma of Romeoville, Lyndsey Powers of Evergreen Park, Hayley Smorczeski of Lockport, Lauren Pirc of Plainfield, James Poellnitz of Chicago, Mary Egan of Orland Park, Jennifer Prokop of Mokena, Kevin Meyer of McHenry, Kelley Manges of Bolingbrook, Kari Hart of Joliet, Jason Beneventi of Orland Park, Alex Gasick of Woodridge, Melissa Cortez of Chicago, Sal Ursino of Park Ridge, Chris Biscardi of Plainfield, New York, Julie Szamlewski of Lakemoor, Sarah Griffith of Rockford, James Putong of Bolingbrook and adviser Lisa O’Toole of Orland Park.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to more than 6,000 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares ethically grounded, globally aware, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report. Visit www.lewisu.edu <http://www.lewisu.edu> for further information.