Congratulations to the GW Graduate Program in Publishing for securing top honors at the 2025 Society for Scholarly Publishing EPIC Awards competition. Winners of the inaugural EPIC Awards Celebration were announced May 29 at the Society for Scholarly Publishing’s (SSP) Annual Meeting.
GOLD EPIC AWARD WINNER: GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing
The GW Journal of Ethics in Publishing (GWJEP) welcomes articles, case studies, and conference presentations from scholars, students, and publishing professionals on topics including, but not limited to, diversity and inclusion, accessibility, peer review, open access, sustainability, publishing metrics, equity, and other aspects and issues of ethics in publishing. This online journal is managed by students in the MPS in Publishing program, College of Professional Studies, at George Washington University.
Gold EPIC Award Winner in the category of Publications, Excellence in Student Journals.
“We have been working to critically evaluate the current state of GWJEP, our student-led journal, and chart a course for its future growth. These conversations are essential not only for sustaining the journal’s operations, but also for ensuring it can scale to meet the needs of a dynamic, evolving publishing landscape. As Managing Editor, my role has been primarily operational, offering a unique vantage point to see how the lessons we study in our graduate program translate into real-world challenges and opportunities. It’s a practical laboratory where I’ve been able to troubleshoot issues within our teams, from onboarding and leadership transitions to refining workflows and outreach. This hands-on experience has deepened my understanding of the academic publishing process and allowed me to see firsthand how student-led publications can leverage professional practices to scale their reach and impact.”
Hind Berji
GWJEP’s managing editor, and MPS in Publishing student
SILVER EPIC AWARD WINNER: Student Journal Symposium for Literary and Research Publications
The Student Journal Symposium for Literary and Research Publications aims to foster dialogue and collaboration among undergraduate and graduate student-led journals. Our inaugural Symposium included representatives from eight student-led journals from American, Howard, Maryland, and George Washington universities and recently received a Silver Epic Award during the 2025 SSP Annual Meeting. The second Symposium was held May 1-2, 2025, and included 73 undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, administrators, academic librarians, and publishing professionals, who collectively represented 34 undergraduate and graduate student journals from 28 universities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Silver EPIC Award Winner for the category of Excellence in Publishing Education and Training Initiatives.
These awards recognize excellence in scholarly publishing, information technology, and communications, honoring the past year's most innovative voices and impactful contributions.
Kudos to John W. Warren, director, and all of the Publishing program faculty and students on this incredible achievement.
About the 2025 EPIC Awards
Launched this year, the 2025 Excellence in Publishing, Information Technology, & Communications (EPIC) Awards highlight the remarkable achievements of individuals and teams who are advancing scholarly publishing through creativity, collaboration, and cutting-edge innovation.
Finalists were selected across five top-level categories, each with multiple subcategories to recognize the diverse ways organizations and individuals are pushing the boundaries of scholarly communication. Winners were revealed during the highly anticipated EPIC Awards Ceremony on May 29 in Baltimore as part of SSP’s 47th Annual Meeting.