Humber Et Cetera wins Gold Crown Award for second consecutive year

Humber Polytechnic’s student news outlet has earned one of the highest honours in student journalism. 

Humber Et Cetera has won a Gold Crown Award in the College Hybrid News category from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association.

The Crown Awards are considered the organization’s top honour, recognizing overall excellence among student publications across print and digital platforms. 

Humber Et Cetera was recognized alongside student publications such as Indiana Daily Student at Indiana University and The Ithacan at Ithaca College, highlighting its ability to compete with top journalism programs across North America. 

It marks the second consecutive year Humber Et Cetera received the distinction.

“We're really excited to win the Gold Crown for the second year in a row,” said Lara King, a professor and coordinator in Humber’s journalism diploma program. “It recognizes the hard work that the students put in.”

King said the publication reflects the collaborative efforts of students across both the advanced diploma and post-graduate programs, producing timely content for both print and online audiences. 

“Journalism is needed now more than ever,” she said. “Our students are dedicated to the craft.”

Mike Wise, a journalism professor and program coordinator for the post-graduate program, said the award also highlights the work behind the publication’s production. 

“This is an incredibly rewarding honour, and it speaks to the hard work of the Advanced Diploma students who put the paper together last year,” Wise said.

Wise noted Et Cetera’s strength in both print and digital formats helped distinguish it in the hybrid category. 

“Despite the popularity of online news delivery, print is not dead,” he said. “There is a real advantage to having printed paper to reach our audience on campus.”

He said the recognition reinforces the program’s reputation on an international level. 

“We’re not only a top J-school in Canada, but we hold our own against some of the top schools in the United States,” Wise said.

For Guillermo Acosta, senior dean of the Faculty of Media, Creative Arts and Design, the achievement reflects both consistency and long-term investment in the program. 

“It’s the second year in a row that Et Cetera wins this distinction,” Acosta said. “There was a lot of thought and hard work put into this, and I’m happy that it's paying off and very proud of the results.”

Acosta said the recognition speaks to Humber’s hands-on approach to journalism education, where students gain real-world experience through producing professional-quality work. 

“Journalism is a pillar of democracy,” he said. “Supporting good, strong and trustworthy journalism supports society at large. In a moment where people no longer know what to believe, forming journalists that can restore trust will cement the foundations for a better world.”