Aaron Montoya, visual editor for The Rocky Mountain Collegian

On Sept. 21, 2007 a controversial editorial criticizing President George Bush with a four-letter swear word was published in extraordinarily large type in the opinion section of The Rocky Mountain Collegian. The editorial received national media attention within the next news cycle; much of it negative. 

As the pressure mounted from outraged communities across the nation, including the Colorado State University campus, McSwane took full responsibility for the decision that he and his editorial staff had made. Sleep became a secondary concern as McSwane researched the legal repercussions of the action, contacted lawyers, friends and supporters looking for the best way to defend the statement that The Collegian editorial board made in good conscience. McSwane proved to be a steadfast leader who bore the brunt of the harsh backlash. He issued statements to the community and worked with professional newsroom advisers to ensure the security of The Collegian staff -- at one point advising that the paper be produced remotely.

McSwane articulated the editorial board's argument for the resurrection of First Amendment rights that they felt had been increasingly encroached upon in recent events - namely the tasering of a University of Florida student at a John Kerry question and answer session. McSwane constantly encouraged his staff and did not demand their help in the battle he felt he had chosen to engage in. McSwane's handling of the fall-out as a result of the Sept. 21, 2007 editorial sets him apart as an excellent leader.

Anne Merline, professor at Colorado State University

David has sparked many levels of community in dialogue about American culture and values. It is something that few of us can effectively do. As an instructor, I wish I could do for my students what David has done for all of us. The issues that he has taken responsibility for has people talking about issues that affect us all. It has brought the conversation from campuses in Colorado to a broader understanding of what Americans should stand up for to the national and international level.

Standing silent does not lend its way to human progress, and perhaps it will take several young leaders like David to get us all involved in conversation as a nation as we tackle the most basic of political rights and the most important social goal: human understanding through the process of communication.

Pam Jackson, instructor in the Department of Journalism and Technical Communication at Colorado State University

While in high school in Arvada, Colorado, in 2005, Dave went undercover to expose unethical practices by military recruiters under pressure to meet quotas for signing up new soldiers in war-time. Dave did the story for his high school newspaper and then passed it along to KCNC-TV in Denver. KCNC aired the story and it immediately was picked up by the national news media.

The attention forced the Pentagon to institute a national stand-down day on recruiting and to launch an internal investigation.  The story earned Dave and KCNC the prestigious Peabody Award. It also resulted in KCNC offering Dave an associate producer position on the station’s highly respected investigative team which included Rick Sallinger and Brian Maass – two of this country’s best investigative journalists.

Dave was 18.

Source | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
The Rocky Mountain Collegian's editorial board took a controversial stand, which sparked a national free speech debate. McSwane's defense in publishing the editorial and his handling of the resulting media storm was praised by many on campus.

Source | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
In icy 1-degree weather, Collegian reporters found warmth in the bowels of the Chemistry Building basement past midnight - when university buildings are supposed to be shut down and secured.

Source | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
More than a month after he pleaded not guilty, a former CSU janitor confessed to the Collegian that he recently sent a threatening e-mail to the father of a student killed in the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre.

Source | The Rocky Mountain Collegian
A former chief justice for the student Supreme Court on Tuesday filed a rare appeal challenging the legitimacy of the recent student government presidential election, claiming negligence, preferential treatment and other alleged improprieties involving campaign finance rules.

Source | The Rocky Moutain Collegian
Officials put CSU on "heightened alert" in response to the deadly shootings at the Virginia Tech campus Monday morning.