The cover to the award-winning edition of Parnassus.

“Parnassus,” Northern Essex Community College’s student, literary magazine, recently received a 2019 Magazine Pacemaker Award for literary/art from the Associated Collegiate Press, a prestigious, national, educational nonprofit

This is the second year in a row that “Parnassus” has received this award. The magazine was also selected in 2011, and was a finalist for the award in 2009, 2013, and 2017.

“Parnassus” was judged on the quality of the writing and editing, photography, art and graphics, layout and design, and overall concept or theme.  Published each spring, the magazine includes student poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction, and photography and artwork.

Northern Essex was competing with 126 collegiate publications from 22 states and Canada.   Forty-one were named as finalists and 14, including “Parnassus”, were selected as winners and announced at the Fall National College Media Convention on Nov. 2 in Washington, DC.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Laura Widmer, ACP executive director, said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best.”

The magazine, in its 54th year of publication, has received numerous awards over the decades. Faculty adviser Patrick Lochelt, a Northern Essex English professor, is thrilled the magazine received the award two years in a row.  “This is a tremendous honor for the “Parnassus” staff. It validates the endless hours of creativity and designing that go into an award-winning publication.” Lochelt has been the adviser for 13 years.

NECC’s staff graphic designer Susan Stehfest was the lead designer of the publication as she has been for the past 15 years.

Students serving on the “Parnassus” Staff for 2019 included: Diana Burke, Samantha Cook, Jordan Curley, Abigail Hadley, Courtney Morin, Sylivia Nalumagga, Colin Sarff, and Lauren Smeke.

The Associated Collegiate Press, a division of the National Scholastic Press Association, based and incorporated in Minnesota as a non-profit educational association, provides journalism education services to students, teachers, media advisers and others throughout the United States and in other countries.

“Parnassus” is a student-run publication consisting of short fiction, poems, creative nonfiction, and all types of printable art and photography. It’s a venue that has existed since 1965 for creative NECC students to share their arts and talents with the entire school and beyond. New editions are published yearly at the end of each spring semester. “Parnassus” allows NECC students an opportunity to express themselves and provides an opportunity for the entire student body, faculty, and staff to share the arts and talents of students.

Work from any NECC student may be submitted to “Parnassus” staff at any time during the semester and the deadline for this semester is December 20. Acceptance of material is determined by a vote of active staff members. Any active NECC student can join the staff; calls for new members go up at the beginning of each new semester.

Information can be found on the website

For additional information on the magazine or the award contact Lochelt at plochelt@necc.mass.edu

Northern Essex offers associate degrees in liberal arts: writing and journalism/communication, both of which prepare students for entry-level positions as writers or journalists or for transfer to a four-year program.