The Vermont Cynic, UVM's student-run weekly newspaper, placed among the top five weekly university tabloid newspapers at the National College Media Convention's Best of Show competition in Kansas City, Mo.

The contest, which draws entries from around the country, is judged by local journalists and national judges based on criteria ranging from news value to photography to leadership. The top five newspapers in the competition, sponsored by Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Advisers, were from Guilford College in North Carolina, the University of North Florida, York University in Toronto and Elon University in North Carolina. The 6,000-circulation Cynic placed fifth in the 4-year weekly tabloid category.

"The conference was chock full of great sessions and interesting speakers, but it was also a chance to compare the Cynic to other newspapers from around the country," wrote Cynic editor Dakota Rubin in an e-mail to the newspaper's editorial staff, "We got our paper critiqued by an adviser, and he had really good things to say about our newspaper, which was very encouraging… we beat out some of the best schools in the country for this honor."