NC State Student Media Print Outlets Bring Home National Awards

NC State Student Media’s print publications received national awards for excellence at the 2024 National College Media Convention in New Orleans.

The print publications won a total of 30 awards from the Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Association.

Technician won a Pacemaker Award, presented by the Associated Collegiate Press. The Pacemaker is known as the most prestigious award in college media. The general student newspaper was one of 21 winners and 43 finalists. 

Technician won for its special section on campus buildings that are named for historical white supremacists. 

“I’m so thankful that Technician received recognition from the Associated Collegiate Press for its hard work in Volume 104,” said Technician Editor-in-Chief Kate Denning. “It’s an honor to lead a publication that has now received the highest award in student journalism, and I’m excited to see the ways Technician will continue to thrive going forward!”

The Nubian Message received accolades for its work. Kaela Belingon, photo editor for The Nubian Message, won first place for 2024 ACP Photo of the Year for Feature Photo, published by Agromeck. 

“The Nubian Message is a place where students can find rest in curating a publication that represents their communities’ experiences, struggles, hopes and aspirations. To create this publication required a collective, and a key part of our creative force is Kaela Belingon,” said The Nubian Message editor-in-chief Alianna Kendall-Brooks. “She pours her heart into photography and uses her creative skills to quite literally provide a lens to different groups on campus. The Nubian Message wouldn’t be where it is now if it weren’t for her efforts, in fact, she has truly impacted everyone on staff through her passion, skill and compassion.”

The Nubian Message also brought home awards for its website front page, best headline and best organizational diversity initiative of the year.

“The Nubian Message is so proud to be honored by the diversity initiative award. Of course, diversity isn’t new to us; it’s true to us,” Kendall-Brooks said. “The Nubian Message was founded as a refuge for students when the campus lacked safe spaces for diverse groups. We are honored by the award and of course employ our audience to view us as more than a diversity paper, but a student paper that is integral to the field of Black and marginalized media at NC State and beyond.”

Windhover, the award-winning literary magazine, was also an ACP Pacemaker finalist and won first place for best literary magazine from CMA, among other honors. 

“Representing NC State Student Media on a national level was an incredibly rewarding experience,” said Windhover design editor Cora Jones. “Windhover brought home many awards, but we also brought home newfound inspiration and excitement for the future.”

And the Agromeck yearbook was recognized with 10 awards recognizing photographic and design excellence.

“These students have a profound hunger for learning and development, both for themselves and for their publications within Student Media,” said visual media adviser Ray Black III. “You can see that reflected in how many awards they brought home, from photography to design to reporting to illustration. They’re among the best in the nation.” 

During the convention, 12 students attended sessions to improve their journalism and media production skills, and to inspire them with ideas to put into action back at their publications. 

“The National College Media Convention sparked lots of opportunities for us to consider how we can improve Roundabout, as well as reinforcing what we already do well,” said Roundabout magazine promotions director Layney Keesee. “I’m excited to implement some of the student media promotion ideas into Roundabout to get our name out on campus and, hopefully, beyond.”

“I’m proud of the accomplishments these student journalists achieved,” said editorial advisor Ben McNeely. “The thoughtfulness and fearlessness the students put into their publications is inspiring, and these awards recognize that effort.”

The awards are as follows:

Agromeck

Associated Collegiate Press Awards

• Photo of the Year, Feature Photo, First Place: Kaela Belingon
• Photo of the Year, Environmental Portrait, Third Place: Hallie Walker 
• Design of the Year, Yearbook Page/Spread: Nicole Tan & Jermaine Hudson
• Design of the Year, Yearbook Cover, Honorable Mention: Jermaine Hudson

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards

• Best Sports Feature Photo, First Place: Hallie Walker
• Best Yearbook Sports Page/Spread, First Place: Jermaine Hudson
• Best Yearbook News Page/Spread, Second Place: Jermaine Hudson
• Best Yearbook Cover, Third Place: Jermaine Hudson
• Best Yearbook Division Page/Spread, Third Place: Jermaine Hudson
• Best Yearbook Entertainment Page/Spread, Honorable Mention: Jermaine Hudson

The Nubian Message

Associated Collegiate Press Awards

• Photo of the Year, Sports Feature, Fifth Place: Hallie Walker

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards

• Best Organizational Diversity Initiative of the Year, Second Place: Staff
• Best Website Front Page, Honorable Mention: Staff 
• Best Headline, Honorable Mention: Milan Hall

Technician

Associated Collegiate Press Awards

• Pacemaker Award: Ethan Bakogiannis and Jameson Wolf, editors-in-chief
• Pacemaker Award Finalist: Ethan Bakogiannis and Jameson Wolf, editors-in-chief
• Reporter of the Year, Honorable Mention: Emily Vespa
• Photo of the Year, Sports Game/Action Photo, Honorable Mention: Lily McCabe
• Best of Show Award, Digital Newsletter, Fourth Place
• Best of Show Award, Website (four-year campus, more than 15,000), Fifth Place
• Best of Show Award, Newspaper/Newsmagazine (four-year campus, more than 15,000), Eighth Place

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards

• Best Column, Honorable Mention: Justin Welch
• Best Investigative Story, Honorable Mention: Emily Vespa
• Best Sports Column, Honorable Mention: Erin Ferrare
• Best Editorial Cartoon, Honorable Mention: Maxx Alsop
• Best Newspaper Nameplate, Honorable Mention: Ellie Bruno

Windhover

Associated Collegiate Press Awards

• Pacemaker Finalist: Ryley Fallon, editor-in-chief
• Design of the Year Finalist, Magazine Front Page: Cora Jones, Katharine Spanberg
• Best of Show Award, Literary Magazine, Fourth Place
• Best of Show Award, Magazine Design, Tenth Place

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards

• Best Literary Magazine, First Place: Cora Jones, Katharine Spanberg
• Best Literary Magazine Cover/Nameplate, First Place: Cora Jones, Katharine Spanberg
• Best Literary Magazine Use of Theme, First Place: Cora Jones, Katharine Spanberg
• Best Literary Magazine Table of Contents, Second Place: Cora Jones, Katharine Spanberg
• Best Literary Magazine Spread, Third Place: Cora Jones