Society for Collegiate Journalists

The Society for Collegiate Journalists (SCJ) is an American honor society for student journalists. It was created in 1975 through the merger of Pi Delta Epsilon and Alpha Phi Gamma.

Society for Collegiate Journalists
SCJ
Founded	June 1, 1975; 50 years ago (June 1, 1975)
Type	Honor
Affiliation	Independent
Status	Active
Emphasis	Collegiate Journalism
Scope	National
Colors	Black and   White
Publication	The Reporter
Chapters	100+ (active)
Members	1,200 active
Predecessors	Pi Delta Epsilon and Alpha Phi Gamma
Headquarters	610 West Fourth Street Buena Vista University Storm Lake, Iowa 50588 United States
Website	scjnational.org

History

The Society for Collegiate Journalists was formed on June 1, 1975, as a merger between the two journalism honor societies, Pi Delta Epsilon and Alpha Phi Gamma.^[1] Pi Delta Epsilon was established in 1909. Alpha Phi Gamma was established in 1919.^[2] It held its first national meeting at the David Lipscomb College in Nashville, Tennessee in 1977.^[3]

The society expanded across the United States and includes around 100 chapters.^[2] As of 2024, SCJ has approximately 1,200 members.^[2] Its national headquarters in location in Storm Lake, Iowa.^[4]

Symbols

The seal of the Society of Collegiate Journalists incorporated elements of its predecessors. It is a circle surrounded by the words “SOCIETY OF COLLEGIATE JOURNALISTS FOUNDED A.D. 1909"^[5] Inside the circle is an inkwell with crossed quills above.^[5]

The society's colors are black and white, symbolizing journalism's heritage of print media.^[5] It uses maroon and silver for banners and its Medal of Merit.^[5] Graduating members may wear honor cords which are red.^[6][7]

Its publication is called The Reporter.^[8]

Activities

At the national level, the SCJ runs a biennial national convention and an annual student journalist contest with judges who are professionals in the field.^[2] It also publishes an online journal, The Collegiate Journalist, and a newsletter, The Reporter.

SCJ presents the Medal of Merit Certificate, the Presidential Citation, the Ingelhart First Amendment Award, the McDonald Award for the outstanding chapter, the SCJ Barlow Student Journalist of the Year Award, the Outstanding New Advisor Award, and the Outstanding New Chapter Award.^[2] The Student Journalist of the Year Award winner receives a scholarship and Ingelhart Award receives a cash prize.

At the local level, chapters host workshops, speakers, and seminars related to journalism.^[2]

Chapters

SCJ has around 100 active chapters in the United States.^[2][9] Its chapters use their original charter date, from the predecessor organizations. Inactive institutions are in italics.

Institution	Charter date and range	Location	Status	References
Ohio Northern University	1919	Ada, Ohio
Stevens Institute of Technology	1922	Hoboken, New Jersey
Muskingum College	1923	New Concord, Ohio
Washington & Jefferson College	1924	Washington, Pennsylvania
University of Richmond	1926	Richmond, Virginia
Virginia Tech	1930	Blacksburg, Virginia	Active	[10]
Catholic University of America	1931	Washington, D.C.
Westminster College	1934	New Wilmington, Pennsylvania
College of William & Mary	1935	Williamsburg, Virginia
Hastings College	1937	Hastings, Nebraska	Active	[11]
Franklin College	1938	Franklin, Indiana	Active	[12]
Hampden-Sydney College	1939–xxxx ?; 2000	Hampden Sydney, Virginia	Active	[13]
Southern Illinois University Carbondale	1939	Carbondale, Illinois	Inactive
Midland Lutheran College	1940	Fremont, Nebraska	Inactive
Bethany College	1947	Bethany, West Virginia	Active	[14]
John Carroll University	1948	University Heights, Ohio	Active	[15]
Clarkson University	1949	Potsdam, New York
Eastern Illinois University	1949	Charleston, Illinois	Active	[16]
Fairmont State College	1949	Fairmont, West Virginia	Inactive
Marietta College	1949	Marietta, Ohio	Active	[17]
Wartburg College	1949	Waverly, Iowa	Active	[18]
Keuka College	1950	Keuka Park, New York
New Jersey Institute of Technology	1951	Newark, New Jersey
Hofstra University	1953–xxxx ?; May 2014	Hempstead, New York	Active	[19][20][a]
Thiel College	1953	Greenville, Pennsylvania	Active	[21]
Bridgewater College	1955	Bridgewater, Virginia	Inactive
Caldwell College	1960	Caldwell, New Jersey
Pittsburg State University	1960	Pittsburg, Kansas
Bethel College	1961	McKenzie, Tennessee	Inactive
Valparaiso University	1961	Valparaiso, Indiana	Active	[22]
Winona State University	1961	Winona, Minnesota	Active	[23]
Anderson University	1963	Anderson, Indiana
Bemidji State University	1964	Bemidji, Minnesota
Clarion University of Pennsylvania	1964	Clarion, Pennsylvania	Inactive	[24]
Lipscomb University	1964	Nashville, Tennessee	Active	[25][26]
Radford University	1964–after 2011	Radford, Virginia	Inactive	[27][28]
Millersville University of Pennsylvania	1965	Millersville, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Northeastern State University	1965	Tahlequah, Oklahoma
Southeast Missouri State University	1965	Cape Girardeau, Missouri	Active	[29]
Saint John’s University	1965	New York City, New York	Active	[30]
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania	1966	Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania
High Point University	1966	High Point, North Carolina	Active	[31]
Evangel University	1967	Springfield, Missouri	Active	[32][33]
Harding University	1967	Searcy, Arkansas	Active	[34][b]
Mount St. Mary's College	1967	Emmitsburg, Maryland	Inactive	[35]
Slippery Rock University	1967	Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania	Active	[36]
Eastern Kentucky University	1968	Richmond, Kentucky	Active	[37]
Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania	1968	Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
Fort Hays State University	1970	Hays, Kansas	Active	[38]
West Virginia Wesleyan College	1970	Buckhannon, West Virginia
Oklahoma Baptist University	1971	Shawnee, Oklahoma	Inactive
Winthrop University	1972	Rock Hill, South Carolina	Active	[39]
Tennessee Tech	1975	Cookeville, Tennessee	Active	[40]
University of North Alabama	1978	Florence, Alabama
Cabrini University	1979	Radnor Township, Pennsylvania	Active	[41]
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach	1979	Daytona Beach, Florida
James Madison University	1979	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Inactive
Mary Baldwin University	1979	Staunton, Virginia	Active
Marycrest College	1981	Davenport, Iowa	Inactive	[c]
Southern Arkansas University	1981	Magnolia, Arkansas	Inactive
Wingate College	1981	Wingate, North Carolina		[d]
College of St. Francis	1982	Joliet, Illinois
Manchester Community College	1982	Manchester, Connecticut
Carson-Newman College	1983	Jefferson City, Tennessee	Inactive
Cowley Community College	1983	Arkansas City, Kansas
Kansas State University	1983	Manhattan, Kansas	Inactive
Kingsborough Community College	1983	Brooklyn, New York
Milwaukee Area Technical College	1983	Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Ocean County College	1983	Ocean County, New Jersey
Southeastern Louisiana University	1983	Hammond, Louisiana	Active	[42]
University of Scranton	1983	Scranton, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Drury College	1984	Springfield, Missouri	Inactive	[43]
Elizabethtown College	1984	Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania	Active	[44]
Garden City Community College	1984	Garden City, Kansas	Inactive
Wabash College	1984	Crawfordsville, Indiana	Inactive
Jacksonville University	1985	Jacksonville, Florida	Inactive
Jacksonville State University	1985	Jacksonville, Alabama	Inactive
Nicholls State University	1985	Thibodaux, Louisiana	Inactive
Oakton Community College	1985	Des Plaines, Illinois	Inactive	[45]
Appalachian State University	1986	Boone, North Carolina	Inactive
Minot State College	1986	Minot, North Dakota	Inactive
Christian Brothers College	1987	Memphis, Tennessee	Inactive	[46]
Hunter College	1987	New York City, New York	Inactive
Independence Community College	1987	Independence, Kansas
Ouachita Baptist University	1987	Arkadelphia, Arkansas	Inactive
Randolph–Macon College	1987	Ashland, Virginia
University of Louisiana at Lafayette	1987	Lafayette, Louisiana	Inactive
Wayne State College	1987	Wayne, Nebraska	Inactive
Carnegie Mellon University	1988	Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott	1988	Prescott, Arizona	Inactive
Labette Community College	1988	Parsons, Kansas
Lynchburg College	1988	Lynchburg, Virginia	Inactive
Lincoln Memorial University	1989	Harrogate, Tennessee
North Central College	1989	Naperville, Illinois	Inactive
University of Arkansas	1989	Fayetteville, Arkansas	Inactive
Old Dominion University	1990	Norfolk, Virginia	Inactive
Spring Arbor College	1990	Spring Arbor, Michigan	Inactive	[47]
Eastern Michigan University	1991	Ypsilanti, Michigan	Active
Berry College	1992	Mount Berry, Georgia	Inactive
Regent University	1993	Virginia Beach, Virginia	Inactive
Susquehanna University	1993	Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania	Inactive
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown	1994	Johnstown, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Marian College	1995	Fond du Lac, Wisconsin	Inactive
Union University	1995	Jackson, Tennessee	Inactive
Virginia Wesleyan University	1995	Virginia Beach, Virginia	Active	[48]
McDaniel College	1996	Westminster, Maryland	Active	[49]
New York Institute of Technology	1996	Old Westbury, New York	Inactive
North Carolina State University	1996	Raleigh, North Carolina	Active	[50]
Clarke College	1997	Dubuque, Iowa	Inactive	[51]
Murray State University	1997	Murray, Kentucky	Inactive
Oxnard College	1997	Oxnard, California	Inactive
Taylor University	1997	Upland, Indiana	Inactive
University of Nebraska at Kearney	1997	Kearney, Nebraska	Active	[52]
Wilkes University	1998	Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Youngstown State University	1998	Youngstown, Ohio
Simpson College	1999	Indianola, Iowa
Southwest Missouri State University	1999	Springfield, Missouri	Inactive
State University of New York at New Paltz	1999	New Paltz, New York	Inactive
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford	1999	Bradford, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Utica University	1999	Utica, New York	Active	[53]
Washburn University	1999	Topeka, Kansas
Westark Community College	1999	Fort Smith, Arkansas	Inactive
Asbury College	2000	Wilmore, Kentucky	Inactive
Northeast Texas Community College	2000	Mount Pleasant, Texas	Active	[54]
Widener University	2000	Chester, Pennsylvania	Inactive
University of the Pacific	2001	Stockton, California
Naugatuck Valley Community College	2002	Waterbury, Connecticut	Active	[55]
Valdosta State University	2002	Valdosta, Georgia	Active	[56]
Neumann College	2003	Aston, Pennsylvania	Inactive
Piedmont University	2003	Demorest, Georgia	Active
Shenandoah College	2003	Winchester, Virginia	Inactive
Community College of Baltimore County	2004	Essex, Maryland	Inactive
Barton College	2005	Wilson, North Carolina	Active	[57]
Bennett College	2005	Greensboro, North Carolina
Loyola Marymount University	2006	Los Angeles, California	Inactive
Providence College	2006	Providence, Rhode Island
Savannah College of Art and Design	2006	Savannah, Georgia
Keene State College	2007	Keene, New Hampshire	Active	[58]
Lindsey Wilson College	2007	Columbia, Kentucky	Inactive
Mercer University	2007	Macon, Georgia	Inactive
Robert Morris University	2009	Moon Township, Pennsylvania	Active	[59]
Landmark College	2010	Putney, Vermont	Inactive
Frostburg State University	2011	Frostburg, Maryland	Active
Lee University	2011	Cleveland, Tennessee	Active	[60]
Marywood University	2011	Scranton, Pennsylvania	Active	[61]
Savannah College of Art and Design	2011	Atlanta, Georgia	Active	[62]
Buena Vista University	2012	Storm Lake, Iowa	Active	[63]
Savannah State University	2018	Savannah, Georgia	Inactive	[64]
Fort Lewis College		Durango, Colorado
Virginia State University		Ettrick, Virginia	Inactive
Western Kentucky University		Bowling Green, Kentucky	Active	[65]
Community College of Denver		Denver, Colorado	Active	[66][e]

1. This chapter is a subsection of the Long Island Press Club.
2. The national website says this chapter is in Arizona.
3. The college became Teikyo Marycrest University and finally Marycrest International University. It closed in 2002 because of financial shortcomings.
4. The national website says this college is in North Dakota.
5. Known as the Auraria chapter.

See also

• National Pacemaker Awards
• Honor cords
• Honor society