If you see Jose Martinez on campus, be sure to tell him to make you laugh.
For the second year running, the Loyola Marymount University junior and managing editor of the Los Angeles Loyolan captured the top spot for humorous commentary in the Gold Circle Awards, a student journalism contest hosted each year by Columbia University.
Martinez’s column “Badge power,” which ran in the Loyolan in February, won first place in the General or Humor Commentary category. His fall 2008 piece “Stupendously stupid slang” also finished first.
“Jose is an immensely gifted writer who has made exceptional contributions to the Loyolan, not only as a humorist but also as a leader and a person,” said Tom Nelson, LMU’s director of student media.
Martinez’s most recent winning column detailed his experience staffing an event during LMU’s First Amendment Week earlier this year, when former White House chief of staff Karl Rove spoke on campus. The 6-foot-5-inch Martinez was surprised when friends described him as “spineless,” but found that wearing a badge identifying him as event staff prompted increased feelings of self-worth.
The Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s Gold Circle Awards attracted more than 8,000 entries from colleges, universities and secondary schools throughout the United States.
Other winners at the Loyolan included former editor in chief Oscar Borboa ’09 and junior design editor Levi Marks for their 2008 editorial, “In defense of tacos.” The newspaper’s Web site, www.laloyolan.com, was nominated for a Pacemaker Award, given by the Associated Collegiate Press.
