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Four books published by the 5X���� Press received IPPY awards during the 17th annual Independent Publisher Book Awards that took place in New York on May 29. The IPPY awards was created in 1996 to recognize books published by independent authors and publishers.

Author and Kent State Associate Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication Jacqueline Marino’s White Coats: Three Journeys Through an American Medical School won a silver medal in the Education II category (Commentary/Theory). Author Bill Osinski’s Guilty by Popular Demand: A True Story of Small-Town Injustice tied to win a silver medal in the True Crime category.

The Complete Funky Winkerbean, Volume 1 (1972-1974) by author and Kent State alumnus Tom Batiuk won a silver medal in the Humor category. This is Batiuk’s second IPPY award. In the past, Batiuk received a Gold IPPY award for Lisa’s Story, also published by the 5X���� Press.

“It felt fantastic to get the award, especially for the early Funky work,” says Batiuk. “The Kent State Press put together a beautiful book, and it was nice to see it honored in this way.”

Finally, author Perry Bush won a silver medal in the Current Events II category (Social Issues/Public Affairs/Ecological/Humanitarian) for his book Rust Belt Resistance: How a Small Community Took on Big Oil and Won.

“It is such an honor to receive an IPPY award,” Marino says. “When I began the book as a magazine series back in 2005, I never imagined it would be anything more than a piece about the first year of medical school. I’m thrilled that White Coats stood out in that kind of competition.”

White Coats: Three Journeys through an American Medical School is about what it takes to grow into the white coat, Marino says. She got her inspiration from watching bad doctor dramas on TV.

“I wanted to capture what it really takes to make it in this profession,” Marino says. “Luckily, I found three students who let me follow them through the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.”

A total of 5,300 titles were entered for the 2013 IPPY awards in 77 national, 22 regional and 10 e-book categories. Of that number, 382 contestants received awards, representing 44 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, five Canadian provinces and eight countries overseas.

To learn more about Marino’s White Coats: Three Journeys through an American Medical School, visit.

For more information about the 5X���� Press, visit .

For more information about the Independent Publisher Awards, visit .