The Printing Industry of the Carolinas recently presented an award of excellence to the staff of Nomad, the student literary magazine at Western Carolina University.

PICA, a trade association representing the printing and graphic communications industry in North and South Carolina, presents awards annually in recognition of print media excellence.

The 2004 issue of Western’s Nomad magazine received a Special Judges Award, recently presented to members of the publication’s staff by Jim Daniels, head of Daniels Graphics in Asheville and a long-time member of the printing industry.

PICA Awards are considered a top symbol of excellence for the graphics industry in the Carolinas, said Deidre Elliott, assistant professor of English at Western and faculty adviser for the 2005 edition of Nomad.