For the first time in the paper’s 85 year history, The Flor-Ala staff can add award-winning logo to the list of accomplishments.

The paper won the second place 2015-16 Pinnacle Award for best nameplate. College Media Association, founded in 1954, awards Pinnacles each academic year to the best in college media, as well as hosts conferences and seminars to educate student media members.

The best nameplate category recognizes excellence in the design of a newspaper’s main flag or name presentation, according to the CMA website.

Two things came together at about the same time to lead to this award, said UNA Student Media Adviser Scott Morris. The Flor-Ala received a professional critique at a national student media convention in Austin, Texas, last year, which suggested major changes, including a new nameplate.

At the same time, the newspaper had an editor-in-chief, Kali Daniel, who possessed the design skills needed to implement changes. Daniel decided to adopt the redesign of the newspaper as her capstone project for the university’s honors program.

“It was a dramatic change to a more modern look — more like a magazine,” Morris said. “Kali worked hard doing research for the project, and we were very pleased with the results. I’m happy she and The Flor-Ala received this national award and that we have a great design to serve us for years to come.”

Other changes to the paper’s design that Daniel made during her time as editor-in-chief include reorganization of sections of the paper and creation of the current tagline: You speak. We write.

Daniel said the win surprised and flattered her.

“To know that I did it — and did it well — is a huge honor,” she said.

“It’s always nice to be recognized for your hard work, especially in the field of journalism.”

Daniel said she spent fall 2015 gathering student feedback on design ideas and spring 2016 researching branding and logo design.

“In the spring, I was lucky enough to intern under Ms. Karen Hodges in University Communications and Marketing, and she really helped guide a lot of technical work, especially since the university was going through rebranding at the time,” she said.

To compare the paper’s current design to past issues, search the publication name on issuu.com.

The Prospector at the University of Texas at El Paso won first place in the competition, and third place went to The Mercury at the University of Texas at Dallas.