CSUSB Student-Run History Journal Wins Third National Award

For the third time in six years, the Cal State San Bernardino (CSUSB) history department’s student-run journal received an award in a national competition. The 2013 volume of the journal, “History in the Making, Volume 6,” received third prize in the Gerald D. Nash History Journal Award competition, said Cherstin Lyon, an associate professor of history at CSUSB. “The journal now enjoys the distinction of winning three national awards in only six years of its existence,” Lyon said. “It has won a national award three out of the four years in which the journal was printed in time to submit to the Phi Alpha Theta annual history journal competition.” “History in the Making” is an annual publication of the CSUSB Alpha Delta Nu chapter of Phi Alpha Theta and is sponsored by the history department and the instructionally related programs on campus. It is completely created and produced by CSUSB students. The Gerald D. Nash History Journal Award is sponsored by the history honor society, Phi Alpha Theta, and is given to journals on the basis of scholarly merit, variety of papers and overall literary merit of all printed material. Aesthetics also play a role in the award, including journal layout, design and creativity of the cover. In order to enter into the competition, journals must follow a set of rules set by Phi Alpha Theta. Journals must consist largely of student work; the editor and most of the editorial staff must be a member of the society as well as most of the editorial staff; and articles must clearly associate themselves to the society. Graydon A. Tunstall, executive director of the Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society, congratulated the students who produced the journal. He wrote, "The time and effort required to produce a historical journal is immense and your willingness to undertake this task and maintain such a high standard of quality proves the dedication of you and your students to the study of history." Professors Tiffany Jones and Lyon serve as faculty advisers to the journal and Professor Jeremy Murray serves as the Phi Alpha Theta adviser, joined this year by Professor Ryan Keating. "Congratulations go to our student editors and authors," Lyon said, "And a special thanks goes out to last year's chief editor, Claudia Mariscal."