The Drummer, an Iowa State alternative newspaper, has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition by the Iowa House of Representatives.

Drummer officials were notified of the award last week.

“It really shows that people read The Drummer, but first and foremost, it shows that people recognize the paper is a growth experience, out of the classroom, for students,” said Mark Ingles, Drummer adviser.

He said he was only aware that some alumni and faculty members had expressed an interest in recognizing the student volunteers.

“I was really surprised when I heard the news,” Ingles said.

Ingles said this is the newspaper’s second Certificate of Recognition.

The Drummer also received the certificate last year.

“Running The Drummer is a lot more complicated than the average student would think,” Ingles said. “It’s difficult to find committed volunteers.”

Ingles said his staff includes about 20 students but is centered on five core people.

Celia Burnett, state representative from Ames, said she was aware of the newspaper’s history, including its first-place award for design in last year’s Alternative Journalism Awards competition.

The Drummer was the first alternative newspaper on campus. “In 1991, when we started, there were no other papers on campus besides the Daily,” Ingles said.

Ingles, a student when The Drummer was founded, said the Persian Gulf War sparked the idea of creating the first alternative newspaper.

He said a group of students wanted to “uncensor” the news about the war.

“Censorship drove us to come together,” Ingles said.

The Drummer gets its funding from the Government of the Student Body.

The Drummer, published periodically throughout the year, is primarily run from a cubical in the Memorial Union.

Ingles said that his main goal as an adviser is to give the students an opportunity to do newsworthy jobs and to give Iowa State an alternative newspaper choice.

That sits well with at least one other state official.

“Keep up the good work, Drummerheads,” said Ed Fallon, a state representative from Des Moines. “Maybe someday Iowa will understand what you already know.”