Contest submissions will be accepted through May 1! We are accepting entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists for our 2026 Annual Columnist Contest (for work published in 2025). We will accept entries from columnists, bloggers, and serial essayists published in 2025. Everyone is welcome to submit. You don’t have to be an NSNC member.
The National Society of Newspaper Columnists Education Foundation is a tax-exempt charitable organization [501(c)3] devoted to the education and training of new and experienced columnists everywhere. Donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/NSNCEdFnd
By Russell Frank, NSNC Board Member & Penn State Faculty Member As Published at StateCollege.com 11/11/11 It’s time to stop calling this place Happy Valley. The name doesn’t fit. It never did. The out-of-town reporters describe us as “an idyllic community,” “a tranquil football Eden” “nestled” in the mountains of central Pennsylvania. Spare us. As many…
Courtesy of www.heraldtimesonline.com By Mike Leonard mleonard@heraldt.com 11/8/2011 Amid the many well-deserved tributes to the late Andy Rooney, it looks as though one of the things of which he was most proud is being greatly overlooked — his friendship with the famous columnist and war correspondent Ernie Pyle. Rooney was by his own account a…
Some observations about journalism as an occupation were recently published by the Wall Street Journal. The statistics were based on 2010 U.S. Census statistics. The median annual salary for journalism majors is $50,000, per the latest data. This is about the same as majors in English, history, or communications. However, journalists have a 7 percent…
By Suzette Martinez Standring NSNC Past President The best storytellers are like keen-nosed truffle dogs, looking for riches below the surface. It’s what columnists do most days under deadline, usually in 750 words or less. Other writers have a lot more space. Recently, I went to see The New York Times best-selling…
UPDATE: Andy Rooney died Friday night, according to CBS, only a month after delivering his 1,097th and final televised commentary. He died of complications from surgery. The article below was published about Andy Rooney Sept 28th after his retirement was announced. Rooney received the NSNC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 and is a member of our Hall of…
Philadelphia member James Smart was interviewed by Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Dan Rubin for a 1,000-word column about his career and his book, Adonijah Hill’s Journal. “It’s a young columnist (55) interviewing a less young columnist (81),” said Smart. The author also discussed his book as a speaker at a dinner meeting of the Phi Beta…
Save the Date NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest Virtual Awards Ceremony – July 23, 2026 at 7 p.m. EST Mark your calendar for the 2026 NSNC Virtual Awards Ceremony, which will be held on Thursday, July 23 at 7 p.m. EST. Winners will be announced at an online celebration on July 23 at 7 p.m. EST.…
NSNC 2026 Columnist Contest Deadline Extended – Enter by May 1 National Society of Newspaper Columnists Annual Column Contest Deadline Extended – Contest Closes: May 1, 2026 11:59 p.m. (EST) For Registration & General Guidelines visit: nsnc.submittable.com/submit Email Joanne Browkaw, contest chair, with any questions at joannebrokaw@gmail.com. “The NSNC Annual Columnist Contest gives columnists a chance to…
National Society of Newspaper Columnists Annual Column Contest Last Call to Enter! Closes: April 17, 2026 11:59 p.m. (EST) For Registration & General Guidelines visit: nsnc.submittable.com/submit Email Joanne Browkaw, contest chair, with any questions at joannebrokaw@gmail.com. “The NSNC Annual Columnist Contest gives columnists a chance to win awards for their submissions and be acknowledged by their peers.”…
Christine Heinrichs recently published a significant story that is raising awareness of elephant seals. Here is a link to the story: https://news.mongabay.com/2026/02/avian-flu-strikes-californias-northern-elephant-seals-area-quarantined/ Heinrichs has published other important works about elephant seals. Her articles and books are featured at www.christineheinrichs.com.
