As editor-in-chief of the Hilltop Monitor, it is my privilege to announce that the Hilltop Monitor has returned to award-winning status.

Student newspapers across Missouri were invited to submit their best articles as part of the Missouri College Media Association (MCMA) competition. Of 29 total categories, the Hilltop Monitor submitted to 12 categories and won 7 awards, including runner-up in the Best Overall Newspaper category. The Hilltop Monitor did not enter last year’s competition due to Jewell’s declaration of financial exigency. We are grateful to Student Senate for supporting our entry this year.

Every member of the Hilltop staff contributed to awards in newspaper-wide categories, including our deep-dive investigative piece regarding changes to the College, which won two awards. All three members of the editorial board won first-place awards for individual reporting. 

Copy editor Alee Dickey expressed gratitude to Hilltop staff for maintaining an excellent standard of journalism in the face of institutional difficulties.

A full list of awards won by the Hilltop Monitor can be found below:

• News Writing, First Place: E.E. Naber, William Jewell College restructures academic programs
• Editorial Writing, First Place: Alee Dickey, Donald Trump and the Smithsonian: who gets to rewrite history
• In-Depth News Reporting, Third Place: Hilltop staff, What now? Exploring the implications of William Jewell College’s declaration of financial exigency and restructuring of academic programs
• Investigative Reporting, First Place: Hilltop staff, What now? Exploring the implications of William Jewell College’s declaration of financial exigency and restructuring of academic programs – The Hilltop Monitor
• Feature Photography, First Place: Matthew Parker, An Aurora on the Hill
• Overall Website, First Place
• Best Overall Newspaper, Second Place

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected to the head of the Roman Catholic Church in 2013, and only two years into his service the Church has seen much controversy with this man at its helm. Growing up in Argentina in an immigrant family, Pope Francis worked many jobs including a janitor, bouncer, and even worked in a lab after receiving his master’s in chemistry until he found the priesthood. This unusual past is perhaps an indicator as to why Pope Francis’s papacy has included many “firsts” for the church. Nothing seems a greater symbol than the fact that he is the first pope from the Americas, and with that, Pope Francis has taken stances on many issues in stark contrast to his predecessors. As a young Catholic, I have welcomed many of his stances and objections to the current status quo, but I am not blind to the many changes that still need to happen going forward.

The name Francis was taken from Saint Francis of Assisi, a friar who helped the poor and cared deeply for the environment. The Pope has adopted the passions of his namesake and advocates for the helping the poor, even going as far as to criticize capitalism in the United States for creating large income inequalities. As both a scientist and moral leader in the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has called upon the protection of the environment, and to increase awareness for climate change.

Social issues are a specialty for Pope Francis, breaking far from classic teachings by calling for a greater acceptance of gays in the church, saying, “Who am I to judge?” However, my disappointment lies in the shadow of these words, where he denounces gay marriage, still calling what many know to be genetic a sin. While progressive, the double-edged sword that is Pope Francis lingers in the back of my head, where we see him stay silent on many important women’s issues. Abortion, contraceptives and female priests still remain harshly prohibited by the Vatican, where Francis stands front and center.

It was this vast split in ideology that made the most recent visit to the United States so interesting where he seemingly had one foot in both major political parties. Touted as the “People’s Pope,” giant crowds gathers at his every stop. In an address to Congress he talked about immigration, climate change and the Golden Rule, where he then left, opting out of a dinner with Congress, to feed the homeless. Hearing these stories of this pope who rides in a Fiat, forgoes the lavish robes and pays for his own hotel bill on the day of his election is inspiring to say the least, but then I wake up to the reality that is a man who is not supporting LGBTQ rights and women’s social issues. The true effects of the pope’s recent visit stateside are yet to be seen, his place in the history books is not sealed, but for a church not known for its evolution in policy, the changes Pope Francis has made are very welcomed.

First to announce was Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas Monday, Mar. 23. He made his speech at Liberty University in Virginia, a landmark of evangelical Christianity. His major campaign idea seems to be liberty. “Liberty for whom?” you may ask. Well, I am asking the same question. Cruz’s justification for every major speech point was American Protestantism, thereby universalizing his faith as that of all Conservatives in the United States. He explicitly called for the mobilization of born-again Christians.

Here and there, Cruz actually discussed his political agenda, rather than his relationship with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Not only does he want to repeal every single word of Obamacare; he wants to install a flat tax, allow taxes to be done on postcards and abolish the Internal Revenue Service. It seems that he would, in fact, be taking care of tax returns and tax regulation single-handedly and from the Oval Office upon winning the presidential race. He even applied the American Dream to immigration—what an idea!

I must praise Cruz for his use of parallelism. In his unending attack on the current administration, he consistently began his disparaging sentences with “Instead of.” In the end, I was truly drawn in by his implied comparison between himself and the founding fathers. Cruz 2016? Not quite.

Second to announce was Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky. On Tuesday, Apr. 7 in Louisville, Paul announced his plan to return the country to its past prosperity with a focus on the problematic economy and an assurance that the Constitution will restrain the government and its spending. In fact, the majority of his speech opposed the actions of either the Obama administration, focusing on things like Obamacare or foreign borrowing, or the government as a whole, regarding things like Congress’s failure to be scrupulous in reading bills and the need to limit congressional terms as the problem. However, he failed to mention how he aims to fix the problems he was all too enthusiastic to bring to our attention.

The speech seemed hopeful when he began discussing his economic plan, but he never actually explained how he aims to achieve employment for all who want jobs. What he did do was try to gain credibility with the fact that two of his sons work minimum-wage jobs while in school. If you are considering not having kids, take this card out of Paul’s book and have them in order to manipulate them into doing things that will serve your political needs instead! He explained that he wants to lower corporate taxes in order to encourage companies that have taken business abroad to relocate domestically. I do appreciate his desire to bridge the education gap that has been widened by income inequality. He then tied this back to that all too elusive American Dream.

Paul also invoked the power of the Constitution…and the Bill of Rights, separately. Even better is his later claim to believe in the founding documents. I know that this confuses me because he seemed not to be very sure just what they are.

“Justice, opportunity and freedom” are the tenets of his campaign. Apparently, these will become attainable for all when the United States defeats its ultimate enemy.

“The enemy is radical Islam—haters of mankind,” Paul said.

At least he is eloquent.

Third, but not least, to announce was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. However, she did not trap students in an auditorium or go to her home state to do so. On Sunday, Apr. 12 she put out a two-minute video officially declaring her much-expected candidacy. Her main platform is “Getting Started,” and her video features a number of marginalized and economically disenfranchised groups starting new chapters of their lives.

Clinton’s video has an underlying theme of unifying the United States. She invites the American people to go on a journey toward economic equality with her and claims that she will be the nation’s champion. As much as I love her positive, inclusive message, Clinton’s focus is on families. While I realize that this is necessary in order to gain votes, it may be off-putting for young workers and students.

Hillary Clinton is the only of those who have declared so far whose announcement did not attack the current administration. If that does not scream class, I do not know what does.

Finally, we have Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who announced Monday, Apr. 13 at Freedom Tower in NYC. While his overall announcement was more positive than our two other Republican candidates’ speeches, he just could not resist criticizing Obamacare without offering an alternative and claiming that its repeal would somehow create many jobs. President Obama is not alone under attack; Rubio has already expressed his negative opinion of Hillary Clinton’s campaign ad.

Rubio praised the United States as the land of opportunity, calling upon the American Dream (are we noticing a theme yet?) with the story of his family’s improbable success. In light of the apparent availability of success to families like his own, he enthusiastically expressed his desire to bring about another “American century.” Unfortunately, his story is absolutely an exception to the norm.

He did eventually get to his political agenda. He expressed a need to reduce student debt, and in that aspect, he has my full support. Rubio also hinted at getting rid of degrees that do not produce job-ready graduates, and as an English major and French and religious studies minor, I am sure that he could not have been referencing my humanities degree at all.

Rubio expressed his sentiment that the Christian family is the most important institution in the United States, reminiscent of Cruz’s insistent Evangelical agenda. Ah, the refreshing smell of the exclusionary invocation of religious values. In the end, he warned the country against returning to the failed ideas of past leaders. However, I seem to recall his early insistence on returning to an American century. Perhaps he wanted to be ironic. At least his entire speech was not criticizing the Obama administration.

Former Florida Governor and Republican Jeb Bush, is expected to announce his candidacy soon.

All political bias aside, we should all pay attention to these candidates and use our wonderful right to vote in the 2016 election. We are a large-and-in-charge generation; we should use our incredibly forceful voice! I mean, why would you not want a cute “I Voted” sticker? Happy election season!