The Columbian has brought home many awards for journalism and photography throughout the years. Here in a non-comprehensive list of our more recent accolades.

Associated Press Photo Awards

2020
First place, Non-metro Portrait
(for Vancouver man faces murder allegation in death of 5-year-old girl)
First place, Non-metro Photo Story
(for Raising Kaine)
2019 and 2020 Cowles Cup

NPPA Best of Photojournalism

2020
First place, Sports Feature
(for Columbian photojournalist Nathan Howard wins national competition)
Sony Best in Show award

Society of Professional Journalists

Individual staff awards

Photo & Design

2024
Large Newsroom Division
Print page design
First Place, Romana Wood
2023
Large Newsroom Division
Graphics and Illustrations
First Place, Romana Wood
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
Print page design
Second Place, Amy Libby
Portrait photography
Second place, Taylor Balkom
2022
Large Newsroom Division
Feature Photography
Second Place, Last Day Covid School, Amanda Cowan
Print page design
First place, Merridee Hanson
Second Place, Amy Libby
Graphics and illustration
First place, Romana Wood
Second Place, Merridee Hanson
2021
Medium Newsroom Division
Feature Photography
First place, Health Care Worker Tribute, Amanda Cowan
General new photography
Second place, Peterson BLM Vigil, Amanda Cowan
Portrait photography
Second place, COVID homeless camp, Amanda Cowan
Page Design
First place, Amy Libby
Second Place, Merridee Hanson

Writing

2024
Large Newsroom Division
Crime & Law Enforcement Reporting
First place, "Deaths fuel oversight questions; Records detail actions in disappearance, deaths of woman, girl; Aggravated murder charge planned by prosecutors for man accused in deaths of Melendez, daughter"; Jessica Prokop, Becca Robbins.
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, "Labor Day has worked its way to honored status; Website good tool, but child care still needs help; Respite beds for homeless compassionate, vital"; Colleen Keller
Feature-Soft News
First Place, "Freedom in fins"; Monika Spykerman
Health Reporting
First Place, “For people experiencing homelessness, health care can be out of reach; Bringing care to the streets; Mia Ryder-Marks
Sports Column
First Place, "Another banner year at WSD; Cvitkovich has a lot to play for at Fort; Coming home to give back"; Tim Martinez
Sports Feature
First Place, "Ukrainian teens find solace in soccer," Meg Wochnick
Sports Reporting
First place, "Evergreen to cut athletic directors; Athletic directors react to layoffs”, Meg Wochnick
Column
First Place, "Republicans need to redirect; Rectifying sins of past right path; ilani a rising tide that lifts all boats" Greg Jayne
Business & Economics Reporting
Second Place, "Stores suppress shoplifters." Sarah Wolf, Becca Robbins
2023
Large Newsroom Division
Breaking News team coverage
First place, Nikia Creek fire coverage, Becca Ribbins, Griffin Reilly, Nike Bartoo-Smith, Jessica Prokop, Kelsey Turner, Kelly Moyer.
Crime & Law enforcement coverage
First Place, Vancouver teen’s murderer beats three strikes — again; Roy Russell resentenced to 26 years in 2005 murder of Chelsea Harrison, Jessica Prokop
Sports feature writing
First Place, "La Center Wide Receiver Davari Grauer wears unique gloves for grandfather with Alzheimer’s", Will Denner
Sports reporting
First Place, “Finding Solutions to Struggles, Part 1: Trying times for Fort Vancouver Trappers,” and “Part 2: Helping kick-start success in cross country at Fort Vancouver”, Meg Wochnik
Sports column writing
First Place, Tim Martinez
Editorial & Commentary
Second Place, Greg Jayne
LGBTQ+ & equity reporting
Second place, Opposition to drag queen story hours roils FVRLibraries, Griffin Reilly
Series writing
Second Place, “From Kabul to Clark County.” Scott Hewitt
2022
Large Newsroom Division
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
Education Reporting
First Place: Distance learning has many Clark County students not making the grade, Meg Wochnick
Environment & Natural Disaster Reporting
Second Place, From dust to dust — to compost, Will Campbell
Poverty & Homelessness reporting
Second Place, Renovation of former Value Motel paves long road to recovery, Dylan Jefferies
Technology, Business & Economics reporting
Second Place, Herbert J. paved the way, Will Campbell
2021
Medium Newsroom Division
Sports Reporting
First Place, Virus's Blindside Block, Meg Wochnick and Joshua Hart
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, In Our View Series, Colleen
Sports columns
Second Place, Tim Martinez
Crime & law enforcement reporting
Second place, Confined with COVID?, Jessica Prokop

Writing, Photo & Design

2020
Medium Newsroom Division
Breaking News Reporting
First Place, 1 dead, 2 wounded in shooting; Trauma specialists' training put to test; Shooting timeline, Jessica Prokop, Calley Hair, Kaitlin Gillespie, Jack Heffernan
Business Reporting
First Place, "Coffee roasters 'piece of history' in Yacolt", Will Campbell
Runner Up, "Vigor Selects Vancouver" Series, Alan Brettman
Column
Runner Up, "Working in Clark County column", Lyndsey Hewitt
Diversity Reporting
Runner Up, "VPS Student Discipline Series", Kaitlin Gillespie
Feature Writing, Hard News
First Place, "For Vancouver man, every day is a chance to make a difference", Wyatt Stayner
Feature Writing, Soft News
First Place, "The monks of white salmon", Patty Hastings
Graphics & Illustration
First Place, Romana Wood
Photo Portfolio
First Place, Nathan Howard
Reporting Series
Runner Up, "Flores Family Series", Jessica Prokop
Sports Feature
First Place, "Rally from Despair", Meg Wochnick
2019
Large Newsroom Division
Best Photo Portfolio
First Place, Alisha Jucevic
Business Reporting
Runner up The Waterfront Vancouver setting sail, Allan Brettman
Column
Runner up, Pen is much bigger so I can write the best columns; NRA, some officials stretch credulity, abdicate humanity; Sensitivity, compromise called for in naming of park, Greg Jayne
Feature Photography
Runner up, Cherry Blossoms, Alisha Jucevic
Food, Drink, Lifestyles and Travel Reporting
Runner up, Hiking the Washington Side, plus “Foot traffic not the only kind…”, Scott Hewitt
Graphics & Illustrations
First place, Confronting the high cost of justice; “Can’t have two tigers on the hill”; Midterms will reveal area’s true colors, Merridee Hanson
Runner up, 9,095: Clark outpaces Multnomah County for new residents; Two decades of dreams; Who gave it, who got it? Romana Wood
Page Design
First place, To combat winter blues, try seeing red; Spruce up the environment; A determined stand (with jump), Dave Magnuson
Runner up, A day to take off; 30 years strong; Shifting sand (with jumps), Romana Wood
Photo Essay
First Place, A Determined Stand, Alisha Jucevic Runner up, A new home, Nathan Howard
Portrait Photography
First place, Nathan Kunz, Nathan Howard
Short-Form Feature News Reporting
Runner up, Farmers going nuts; Ridgefield couple replace pear orchard with hazelnuts, hoping to cash in on their increasing popularity (SIDEBAR: Filbert or hazelnut?), Andy Matarrese
Sports Feature Photography
First Place, National Anthem, Nathan Howard
2018
Large Newsroom Division
Best Photo Portfolio
Runner Up, Alisha Jucevic
Business Reporting
First place, Finding care can be a pain, Marissa Harshman
Sports Feature Story
First place, Hole in One from Hudson, Micah Rice
Runner Up, Unbroken, Meg Wochnick
Feature Photography
Runner Up, Elizabeth Nicholson holding horse’s head during the wildfire, Ariane Kunze
Sports Feature Photography
First place, Oct. 1, Amanda Cowan
Page Design
Runner Up, Amy Libby
Graphics & Illustrations
First place, Mariel Abbene
Editorial & Commentary
First Place, Greg Jayne
Arts & Entertainment
Runner Up, Raining Poetry, Scott Hewitt
Audio, Video
Runner Up, One-legged baseball player takes challenges in stride, Ariane Kunze

Award for General Excellence

2020 Runner up
2019 Runner up
2018 Runner up
2015 Third place
2013 Second place
2012 Second place
2006
First place (first year for the general excellence category)

Local Media Association

Digital Innovation Awards

2023
First Place, Best Philanthropy Journalism and/or Fundraising Campaign

C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards

2019
First place, Enterprise Reporting
(for "Fall from Grace" series)
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
(for Clark County mothers fight for mentally ill children)
First place, Features Writing
(for Clark Asks: So far, yacht remains a mystery)
Second place, Deadline Reporting
(for Battle Ground teachers ratify contract, end strike)
Third place, Deadline Reporting
(for Family: Man shot, killed by Vancouver police had schizophrenia)
Third place, Enterprise Reporting
(for Zoom in on the body camera debate in Clark County)
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
(for Man deported from Vancouver may get part of Motel 6 ICE settlement)
Third place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
(for The color of education)
2018
First place, Features Writing
(for Teen suicide: The ones they left behind)
Second place, Features Writing
(for Dark, dirty and deep underground adventures in Gifford Pinchot's caves)
Second place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
(for "Five Years of Love" series)
2017
First place, Enterprise Reporting
(for First responders' selfless service leaves them vulnerable to PTSD's toll)
First place, Feature Writing
(for Benton in D.C.: It's time to change the narrative)
Second place, Enterprise Reporting
(for New political movement flips the script)
Second place, Feature Writing
(for Vancouver woman wins $51K on TV game show ‘Jeopardy')
Second place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
(for Kindness key to calm politics talk over Thanksgiving)
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
(for Wet wipes wipe out sewer systems)
Third place, Enterprise Reporting
(for Local animal law required release of a pit bull that killed a Chihuahua)
2016
First place, Investigative Reporting
(for 6 takeaways about housing in Clark County)
Second place, Deadline Reporting
(for Tornado hits Battle Ground)
Third place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
(for Vancouver police strive for diversity, not for animosity)
Third place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
(for Blue light a special problem for eye)
Third place, Feature Writing
(for Press Talk: Fear and loathing in Crazytown)
2015
First place, Investigative Reporting
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
2014
First place, Distinguished Coverage of Diversity
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
Second place, Deadline Reporting
Second place, Features Writing
2013
First place, Deadline Reporting
First place, Enterprise Reporting
First place, Debby Lowman Award for Distinguished Reporting of Consumer Affairs
2012
First place, Enterprise Reporting
Second place, Enterprise Reporting

Best of the West

Prestigious competition among journalists in 14 states

2020
Second place
(for "Bridging the Border" series)