Update 7/14/2015: “Facing a waning future” is now one of five finalists for the Society of Professional Journalists’ mark of excellence award for general news reporting done by a student newspaper of a large campus. The five finalists were selected from 85 national winners. 

The Daily Californian won a national award for a story published last year that looked into UC funding of Lick Observatory. The award is one of many doled out annually by the Society of Professional Journalists’ student-newspaper contest.

The award, announced Wednesday, came on the heels of the Daily Cal receiving regional recognition from SPJ as a finalist for the categories of best all-around daily student newspaper and best in-depth reporting.

“Facing a waning future,” which detailed the struggles of the only UC-owned observatory, was the national winner in the category of general news reporting by a student newspaper of a large campus, defined by SPJ as having 10,000 or more students. In April’s regional contest, “Love thy sister” was recognized as a finalist for in-depth reporting by a student newspaper of a large campus.

Last year, the Daily Cal took home three first-place awards in the regional contest and received finalist recognition for another three categories.