Sept. 24, 2021

Associated Collegiate Press announces the finalists in its 2021 Story of the Year competition.

Winners in this and all Individual Award categories, as well as the ACP Pacemaker Awards, will be announced virtually at 6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT Thursday, Oct. 14, during the Fall National College Media Convention.

Register for the convention at collegemediaconvention.org.

The Local Climate Change Reporting contest is in partnership with the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.

The Ernie Pyle Human Interest Profile Award honors the 1944 Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, and the award is sponsored by the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and Scripps Howard.

Pyle was an extraordinary journalist with an array of skills. He had the ability to reach out and make folks feel comfortable, as they shared both good times and tough times. For the last 10 years of his life, Pyle’s columns ran six times a week, primarily in Scripps-Howard newspapers.

Finalists listed below are alphabetical by state.

2021 Individual Award finalists
Advertisement • Broadcast • Cartoon • Design
Multimedia • Photo • Reporter • Story
Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage

2021 Pacemaker finalists
Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2020 Yearbook

Register for the Fall National College Media Convention
presented virtually Oct. 14-16, 2021

“Cross country athletes and alumni allege abusive coaching environment”
Alyssa Story
The Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California

“Harreld to retire, opening search for new University of Iowa president”
Rylee Wilson
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Infamy is just as good as fame: UK student among crowd that mobbed Capitol building”
Natalie Parks
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Complaints about Boston College priest sent to Leahy and Jesuit Provincial years prior to rape allegation”
Julia Kiersznowski, Megan Kelly, Victor Stefanescu, Amy Palmer, Erin Shannon
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“Peaceful Rochester protests march on despite heavy police presence”
Amanda Paule, Anne Hayes, T.J. Shaw, Maddi Brown, Zoe McCreary
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“Multiple marchers arrested, pepper sprayed in Graham at march for voting rights and justice”
Christian Galvano, Kyra O’Connor
Elon News Network
Elon University
Elon, North Carolina

“App State student dies of COVID-19 complications”
Mickey Hutchings, Jackie Park
The Appalachian
Appalachian State University
Boone, North Carolina

“At least 10 cases of COVID-19 identified among A&M sorority members”
Brady Stone, Hannah Underwood, Meredith Seaver
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas

“Here’s what you need to know about power, water and shelter at and around UT amid severe weather”
Samantha Greyson, Tori Duff, Kevin Vu, Skye Seipp, Lauren Abel
The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas

“Tornado leaves buildings ravaged, families displaced in Arlington”
Colby Farr, Cecilia Lenzen
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas

“Pepperdine Cross Country/Track Athletes Describe Misconduct of Former Coach”
Paxton Ritchey
Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

“How CSULB lost an affordable housing opportunity in downtown Long Beach”
Erika Paz, Tiffany Mankarios
Daily Forty-Niner
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, California

“Systems in place for survivors of sexual, emotional abuse at DePaul leave victims feeling abandoned”
Ella Lee, Emma Oxnevad
The DePaulia
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

“A concerning pattern: Students reported a professor for sexual harassment. He still works here.”
Emily Isaacman
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“Isolated and anxious: University of Iowa dental students react to an email thread and remarks made within their college”
Alexandra Skores
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Rewriting the epilogue”
Julianna Lowe
Talisman
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky

“Deconstructing the Divide”
Deconstructing The Divide Staff
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“Delays Deepen Abuse for Kids”
Maddie Kornfeld, Sarah Gabrielli
NYCity News Service
The City University of New York
New York, New York

“A town divided”
Beth Wallis
The OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma

“The 48 hours that changed an SGB election”
Staff
The Pitt News
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“Remembering Aniah”
Evan Mealins
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama

“Modern Day Slaves”
Natalie Willis, Emily Bontrager, Lily Journey
The Point Magazine
Biola University
La Mirada, California

“Cal Poly Students Dodge Gunfire While Protesting Myanmar Coup”
Grace Kitayama
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California

“The Art of Seduction”
Emmalyse Brownstein
Distraction Magazine
University of Miami
Coral Gables, Florida

“Test of survival: A young woman wrestles with drugs, life and a year on the edge”
Peter Talbot
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“The Light Side of the Moon”
Allaire Nuss
Drake Mag
Drake University
Des Moines, Iowa

“Tired Of Feeling Targeted”
Anna Lonnquist, Stephen Bradley, MC Claverie
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“Places to breathe”
Emma Eidsvoog
The Clarion
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota

“As the Smoke Clears”
Grace Murray, Anna Sundholm
Flux Magazine
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“Lasting Scars: Albert Kligman and the Holmesburg Prison Experiment”
Denali Sagner, Max Cohen
34th Street Magazine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Rob Lanier’s Panthers defeat Yellow Jackets 123-120 in instant classic”
Andrew Freedman
The Signal
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

“Luka Garza: The Iowa men’s basketball program’s humble, team-driven all-time leading scorer”
Robert Read
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Historic volleyball run driven by confidence and trust”
Natalie Parks
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Helleson Beats Buzzer In OT For Battle Of Comm. Ave. Win”
Emma Healy
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“Cameron Mulé’s game-winner caps off miraculous comeback victory for Duke men’s lacrosse”
Evan Kolin
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

“When a disappointing loss comes a lesson and a glimpse into the future for Altman, Ducks”
Shane Hoffmann
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“Baylor closes season with double-digit loss to Oklahoma State”
D.J. Ramirez
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

“No. 3 Texas baseball drops series opener 6-3 against No. 11 Texas Tech”
Vicente Montalvo
The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas

“On to the championship”
Josh McSwain
Baylor Roundup
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

“VCU men’s basketball beats Dayton, advances to A-10 semifinals”
Noah Fleischman
The Commonwealth Times
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, Virginia

“Southwestern 1, Yankees 0″
Andrew Sanchez
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California

“Before Jackie Robinson, there was Thomas Harding”
Drew Favakeh
The Butler Collegian
Butler University
Indianapolis, Indiana

“Boog’s On First”
Emma Healy
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“Looking back, stepping forward”
Emma Eidsvoog
The Clarion
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota

“A Lasting Impact”
Emily Barnes
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“The original Brotherhood’: How Gene Banks paved the way for future generations of Black players at Duke”
Shane Smith
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

“Throwback Wednesday: Terry Baker, Oregon State’s historic two-sport star”
Thomas Salgado De Almeida Leme
The Daily Barometer
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

“A mother’s love carries 2,625 miles”
Shane Hoffmann
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“Raising Declan”
Aidan Bea
The University Star
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas

“48 years and counting”
Hannah Underwood
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas

“Test proctoring software that films students is an invasion of privacy and presents problems with equity”
Molly Cochran
The Union
El Camino College
Torrance, California

“LeBlanc should resign — but GW needs to enact long-lasting change”
Hannah Thacker, Andrew Sugrue
GW Hatchet
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia

“Editorial: Do ‘blue lives’ matter more than Blue Demons?”
Lacey Latch, Ella Lee, Emma Oxnevad
The DePaulia
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois

“Our view: Good intentions, limited impact”
Staff
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

“This battle is (kind of) over. It shouldn’t have had to be fought.”
Natalie Parks, Sarah Michels, Gillian Stawiszynski
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Editorial: AHANA+ Students Deserve Better”
Rachel Phelan, Olivia Franceschini, Maggie DiPatri, Grace Mayer, Gabriel Wallen
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“What about our legacy?”
Staff
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

“At long last, Penn must forcefully condemn Donald Trump”
Staff
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“Baylor, make your choice on Gamma”
Camille Rasor
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University
Waco, Texas

“Unidentified agents are unaccountable”
Chris Bird
The Clarion
Madison Area Technical College
Madison, Wisconsin

“I’m a survivor, not a victim”
Madalyn Amato
Daily Forty-Niner
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, California

“Involuntary ICE Sterilizations of Migrant Women are Barbaric”
Julia Woock
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California

“Press Start: ‘Dragon Age’ and the exceeding importance of representation in games”
Perrin Smith
District
Savannah College of Art and Design
Atlanta, Georgia

“Examining the erasure of Black history in education”
Yassie Buchanan
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Column: How Loyola can improve the Black experience year-round”
Carrie Elizabeth Smith
The Maroon
Loyola University New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana

“A Message To Prospective Students: Boston College Is Still Homophobic”
Scott Baker, Rachel Phelan
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts

“Arthur Sackler and A Victim’s Legacy”
Guillermo Silva Hava
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

“Beyond the Brochure”
Eden Stratton, Isabelle Bekele
Jerk
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York

“Black faculty need representation”
Kara Otuke
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas

“Return Miakan-Garza remains”
Yliana Roland
The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas

“Spilling Trauma”
Omar Rashad
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California

“While waiting for a COVID-19 vaccine, old traumas with the health care system resurface in the Black community”
Erin Threlkeld
The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College
Chicago, Illinois

“What wasn’t said: How racism shaped one IU student’s college experience”
Lilly St. Angelo
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“You have a place: Latinx and Native American students celebrate 50 years of the Latino Native American Cultural Center”
Alexandra Skores
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Back to Their Roots”
Akhira Umar
KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

“Born with two strikes: Racial disparities for Black community evident in Norman Police Department data”
Jana Hayes
The OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma

“Making the Transition”
Makenzie Elliott, Carson Skrivan
Flux Magazine
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“Black Penn students allege pattern of racism in Chemistry dept. on viral Instagram page”
Kamille Houston
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

“This is our reality | How racism has affected students of color in the Penn State School of Theatre”
Joshua Chu
The Daily Collegian
Pennsylvania State University
State College, Pennsylvania

“Striving to belong: LGBTQ students, alumni and faculty work for change”
Lisi Merkley
BYU Daily Universe
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah

“CPP air quality resources show improvement following wildfires”
Isabella Cano
The Poly Post
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, California

“New sustainability programs look to reduce effects of climate change at CSULB, within communities of color”
Fernando Haro
Daily Forty-Niner
California State University, Long Beach
Long Beach, California

“Could Beef Be Good For People and The Planet? Regenerative, Grass-Fed Beef May Offer A Solution To Our Health, Climate Crisis”
Karl Winter
Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California

“UGA academics fight climate change through Drawdown Georgia”
Ben Lacina
The Red & Black
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia

“A New Era in Climate Policy?”
Lela Johnson
F Newsmagazine
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

“Baltimore Wood Project reclaims urban wood and fights climate change”
Trisha Parayil
The Johns Hopkins News-Letter
John Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

“God Only Knows: As Sea Level Rise Threatens Harvard and Greater Boston Area, Experts Mull Mitigation Strategy”
James Jolin, Natalie Kahn, Simon Levien
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

“Some Duke environmental activists hopeful, others cautious about Biden’s policies”
Jimmy Benjamin
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina

“How Penn State is becoming a leader in renewable energy options across its commonwealth campuses”
Julia Mertes
The Daily Collegian
Pennsylvania State University
State College, Pennsylvania

“Climate Change Edition”
Staff
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas

“COVID warrior“
Julia Woock
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California

“Georgia State student among 25,600 guardsmen on Inauguration Day“
Sharayah Davis
The Signal
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia

“Steve Moore almost died“
Madison Smalstig
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana

“Target On Our Back“
Isaac Gleitz
The Franklin
Franklin College
Franklin, Indiana

“Rhonda Ward makes strides in promoting diversity in Muncie Community Schools“
Taylor Smith
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University
Muncie, Indiana

“Insulin prices remain high through the pandemic, Iowa lawmakers push for reform“
Julia Shanahan
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa

“Four Stories, Four Harvard Workers“
Cara Chang, Sophia Liang, Meimei Xu
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts

“Kweku Brew’s Higher Goal“
Mary Steffenhagen
NYCity News Service
The City University of New York
New York, New York

“Word on Davis Street“
Reina Harwood
Flux Magazine
University of Oregon
Eugene, Oregon

“The Guy Behind the Trombone“
Spencer Buckler
SGTV
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina