Darren Zemanek/The Daily EvergreenOne of the most recognizable buildings on campus, Murrow East sits in the afternoon sunshine on Monday.Darren Zemanek/The Daily EvergreenDarren Zemanek/The Daily Evergreen

The WSU Edward R. Murrow College of Communication earned a top spot in national rankings, according to NewsPro Magazine.

The magazine named the Murrow College as one of the best 25 in the nation. Other ranked schools include the No. 1 Syracuse University S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and fellow Pac-12 schools the USC Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism, the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the UC-Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism.

The Murrow College is the only program in the Northwest that offers sequences in all six communication fields: advertising, broadcasting, communication, communication studies, journalism and public relations. It is also the only college in the state of Washington to offer a comprehensive broadcast program.

Its broadcast journalism sequence has previously earned national rankings, including top five in the nation by the Radio Television Digital News Association.

Dean Lawrence Pintak said it is the faculty and facilities that continue to carry the Murrow legacy through the years at WSU.

"Yes, it's the hands-on skills our students are learning, but it's also the ethics, the values, the Murrow legacy," Pintak said. "It's not a coincidence that Edward R. Murrow's name is on this college, and we're very proud of that. And so we train our journalists not to just do the reporting, but to think what would Murrow do? What are the ethics, what are the values I'm bringing to my journalism?"

Senior communication majors Christina Turner and Abby Acone said it is an honor to be able to learn in a prestigious college.

“As a student who has had so much pride in WSU and the Murrow College, I am proud and humbled to have had the opportunity to learn at an institution of such high caliber,” Turner said. “Students of the Murrow College are fortunate to be a part of the college. This (ranking) also gives well-deserved recognition to WSU and the Murrow College and only will continue to make a better name for Cougar Nation.”

Acone said she wants to see the school continue to grow and compete with the top schools in the nation.

“I think the top 25 ranking is great,” Acone said. “I like seeing the Murrow College stand among so many other recognized programs. I hope the ranking draws (recognition) from professionals and future students. However, I hope the college isn't satisfied with top 25. I want to see Murrow compete head-to-head with Missouri, USC, Northwestern and Syracuse.”