Seton Hall University’s The Heart of the Hall student publication recognized by Catholic Media Association
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Heart of the Hall, the student publication for Seton Hall University’s Office of Mission and Ministry, received an Honorable Mention as one of the Best University Student Publications from the Catholic Media Association.
An organization of nearly 250 publications and 500 individual Catholic journalists and communications professionals in the United States and Canada, the Catholic Media Association notified the publication in May that its Fall 2020 Edition, which is free to read on its blog, received the Honorable Mention. The award was part of the Association’s Student Journalism Awards, which acknowledges the outstanding work of students studying in the communication and arts fields.
“This award means a lot as we have been working hard and putting everything we can into each edition,” said Emma Newgarden, the publication’s editor-in-chief of content who is studying Religion and Classical Studies with a minor in English. “It’s encouraging to see that our hard work is getting recognized and paying off, and hopefully our readers are also picking up the honesty and truth we work so hard to put into our articles.”
Articles in the laureled edition included a biography on University namesake Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, an interview with Varsity Catholic missionary Jessica Brinker, and opinion pieces on hope, beauty standards and Songs of Devotion. It also featured a new design by Bridgette Favale, editor-in-chief of layout who is studying English. A photograph of the University chapel from student Theodore Sigalas adorned the cover.
Founded in 2018, The Heart of the Hall’s mission is to publish articles to lead students, faculty and alumni to recognize the value in the Catholic Mission at Seton Hall University, by drawing their hearts and minds towards Catholicism’s truth and beauty.
“We want everyone from the Seton Hall community to get something from The Heart of the Hall,” Favale said. “While we do want to help religious people grow in their faith, the publication can also help those who are not religious explore the Catholic tradition.”
Favale and Newgarden lead a small team of students under the guidance of faculty advisor Monsignor Dennis Mahon to publish print issues, which are distributed around the South Orange campus and the Interprofessional Health Sciences campus in Nutley, N.J. The articles and editions are also digitally published on The Heart of the Hall blog.
“The original purpose for Benjamin Jaros, an alum and the publication’s founder, was to set up a discussion by and among Seton Hall students into how they, as students, saw their own contribution to fulfilling Seton Hall’s Catholic mission,” Monsignor Mahon said. “All the articles from the beginning have attempted that, and the Honorable Mention award confirms that a journalism organization recognizes our students’ efforts.”
To read all issues and articles for free, including the most recent Winter Edition 2021, click here. To read the online version of this release, click here.
