HOYA History: A Timeline

Below is a brief timeline of some major events in The HOYA's history.

  • 1919-Editors of the College Journal publish the first printed newspaper, The Hilltopper, for College of Arts & Sciences students.The Hilltopper suspends publication after eight issues to be reborn as The HOYA.
  • 1920: The HOYA debuts. It took its name from the college cheer of the same name.
  • 1921: The HOYA's first "extra" covers an upstairs fire at Old North. The paper's coverage is distributed worldwide by the Associated Press.
  • 1925: The paper's first special issues for the Medical and Law schools debut, and run annually for a decade.
  • 1926: The HOYA published its first special Homecoming issue.
  • 1928: Much as its newspaper name changed from Hilltopper to HOYA, so did Georgetown athletic teams, then known as the Hilltoppers. A HOYA sportswriter calls the basketball team the "Hoyas", and the name change is soon picked up by local dailies.
  • 1930: The HOYA is named the Collegiate Newspaper of the Year by a student press association.
  • 1930: After ten years in Old North, New offices in the basement of Copley Hall are provided the paper.
  • 1932: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the bicentennial of George Washington's birthday.
  • 1939: A special issue is published on the 150th anniversary of the University.
  • 1942: The HOYA is the only major extracurricular activity retained throughout the war, moving to a bi-weekly schedule for accelerated class sessions in the fall, spring, and summer.
  • 1944; The paper published monthly for the remainder of the war.
  • 1945: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the 25th anniversary of the newspaper.
  • 1951: One of The HOYA's saddest issues: its April 11, 1951 issue announced that Georgetown had dropped major college football, and that former editor-in-chief Vince Nyhan (College '51) had been killed in a plane crash.
  • 1952: The paper published bi-weekly in the spring of 1952 due to the Korean War and to reduced advertising.
  • 1954: The HOYA's first April Fool's issue is published.
  • 1955: Special issues are instituted for the men's basketball season and the Cherry Blossom Debate Tournament.
  • 1962: A student committee chaired by sports editor Rory Quirk (College '65) rallies University support to reinstate football at Georgetown. The sport returns two years later.
  • 1964: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the 175th anniversary of the University.
  • 1964: Returning to its roots, The HOYA declares itself a University-wide paper, and accepts editorial candidates outside the College of Arts & Sciences.
  • 1964: The HOYA resigns its permanent seat in the College Student Council (The Yard).
  • 1967: The newspaper swaps office space in Copley Basement with the Ye Domesday Booke yearbook, while The HOYA's space is later occupied by WGTB-FM.
  • 1967: John Druska (College '67), a former editor-in-chief, is the youngest alumnus selected to the Georgetown Board of Directors.
  • 1967: The HOYA Review,a quarterly commentary and literary section, debuts. The Review ran for three years and later evolved into the paper's "Viewpoint" page.
  • 1968: After the Class of 1972 withdraws from The Yard and burns copies of The HOYA in the Quadrangle, a small mob marches outside the HOYA's Copley office. Rebuffed by water balloons thrown from Copley residents above, the demonstration ends and the paper is spared.
  • 1969: Dissident members of the HOYA leave the paper to create a liberal, issues-oriented publication. That newspaper, the Georgetown Voice, debuts in March, 1969.
  • 1969: Don McNeil (Linguistics '71) becomes the first HOYA editor-in-chief elected from outside the College of Arts and Sciences.
  • 1970: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the 50th anniversary of the newspaper.
  • 1970: With both papers struggling to meet advertising goals, The HOYA proposes a merger with the Voice. The Voice rejects the offer.
  • 1972: Bernadette Savard (College '73) becomes the first woman elected HOYA editor-in-chief.
  • 1976: The HOYA expands from a tabloid to its present broadsheet format.
  • 1977: University officials threaten to close The HOYA for running an advertisement for an abortion clinic. A series of advertising guidelines are implemented.
  • 1980: A weekly arts and entertainment supplement, Image, begins publication. Financial difficulties end the supplement after one year.
  • 1981: After a 15 year absence, the Men's Basketball Preview issue returns.
  • 1982: The HOYA introduces its current masthead logo.
  • 1983: Special issues begin for freshman orientation and Senior Week.
  • 1987: The HOYA announces its move to twice weekly publication.
  • 1988: After 58 years in Copley Basement, The HOYA moves to new offices at the Leavey Student Newspaper.
  • 1989: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the 200th anniversary of the University.
  • 1990: The HOYA and Voice publish a one-time-only joint issue to protest a University decision to deny a paid advertisement for a National Organization of Women rally in Washington. The issue is settled a week later.
  • 1995: The HOYA publishes a special issue on the 75th anniversary of the newspaper.
  • 1996: The HOYA begins Guide, a weekly arts and entertainment supplement.
  • 1998: A web site, www.thehoya.com, debuts.
  • 2000: The paper celebrates its 80th anniversary. HOYA Alumni.com is founded.
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