RELEASED: January 1, 2009

DANVILLE, KY—As Centre College rings in 2009, the Communications Office offers a look back at 2008—a year marked by major accomplishments for the College. From the riveting men's basketball season finale to the College's No. 13 Forbes ranking, to an ongoing transformation of campus, the year could easily be summed up with one word: extraordinary.

The top web stories of 2008 have been organized into seven categories: Best Student Story, Best Green Story, Best Sports Story, Best Construction Story, Best Professor Story, Best "Lighter Side" Story, and Best Web Story of 2008. Navigate below to review the nominees and then click the link at the bottom of this page to cast your vote. Voters will be entered into a random drawing for a $50 Amazon gift card!

Deadline to vote is January 14, and the winner of the gift card (and the best stories of 2008!) will be announced in a Web story on January 15.

Best Student Story

Centre students win prestigious Goldwater Scholarships (April 23)

International student returns home to aid her country (July 3)

Centre students set new record by winning six Fulbrights (July 25)

Junior's trip to Democratic National Convention featured on the BBC (Aug. 28)

Senior Chase Palisch wins Rhodes Scholarship (Nov. 23)

Best Green Story

American College and University President's Climate Commitment Web Series (Feb. 7)

Centre announces "Energizing Kentucky" collaboration (April 17)

Tips for a greener Centre (Sept. 25)

Students vote more green for green energy; trustees approve (Oct. 30)

Photo essay: Centre is Going Green (Dec. 18)

Best Sports Story

Climactic men's basketball season; Centre hosts first two rounds of NCAA championship (March 6)

All-American candidate rewrites Centre track and field jumping record books (March 6)

Men’s and women’s golf teams make national headlines (Oct. 30)

Men's cross-country team heads to NCAA championship; coach, senior standout honored (Nov 20)

Senior Erin Menard becomes first Centre women's soccer player to be named All-American; team earns first ever NCAA tourney bid (Dec. 11)

Best Construction Story

Campus Center: Groundbreaking ceremony kicks off construction (April 3)

“Chowan”: New temporary dining facility open (June 26)

Benefactors Plaza to be dedicated during Homecoming (Oct. 17)

Science Building groundbreaking ceremony at Homecoming (Oct. 30)

Photo Essay: A day in the life of Pearl Hall (Dec 4)

Best Professor Story

Economics professor featured in USA Today (Jan 3)

Biology professor to appear on National Geographic's Wild Chronicles (July 24)

Centre professor's new book describes fulfillment through a simpler "greener" life (Aug 21)

Centre trumpet master receives Artist Award for Lifetime Achievement (Sept. 11)

Short film about glass artist and professor Stephen Powell to debut at Centre (Nov. 27)

Best "Lighter Side" Story

Name the New Eatery: Names that never made the cut (April 3)

Coolest Room on campus is a hole in one! (May 8)

Campus question: Can Centre folks survive a week without their cell phones? (Sept 25)

My CENTRE Life debuts with diverse cast (Oct. 2)

Centre launches YouTube channel (Dec. 11)

BEST WEB STORY

Men's basketball climactic season; Centre hosts first two rounds of NCAA championship

Centre's Board approves new strategic plan (Feb. 14)

Forbes ranks Centre No. 13 in the nation (Aug. 14)

Students vote more green for green energy; trustees approve (Oct. 30)

Senior Chase Palisch wins Rhodes Scholarship (Nov. 23)

To cast your vote in the 2008 Centre Web Story Awards, click here.

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.