ACP names top student media 
business operations

Reinvigorated Pacemaker competition names ‘best of the best’

March 9, 2024

Four of the nation’s top collegiate student media business operations were recognized today by Associated Collegiate Press as Pacemaker winners at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference.

The Student Media Business Pacemaker was established in 2020 to recognize outstanding student media business and operations teams that work hard to ensure student journalism is supported financially so that it may thrive. After two years, the Pacemaker contest was suspended because of the pandemic and also to streamline the application process.

Gary Lundgren, ACP associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition, was pleased with the renewed enthusiasm for the Student Media Business Pacemaker competition.

“The business and marketing side of student media is critical in today’s media world — it is very important for ACP to recognize this important aspect of journalism,” Lundgren said.

“The Pacemaker is the association’s preeminent award,” Laura Widmer, executive director, said. “ACP is honored to recognize the best of the best with Pacemaker honors.”

The ACP Pacemaker Award, one of the oldest awards for collegiate journalism, has a rich tradition. The association began presenting the prestigious award to collegiate newspapers soon after the organization was founded in 1921. Through the years, yearbooks, magazines and online sites were added to the competition.

In addition to submitting a three-page overall narrative and a media kit, applicants for the Student Media Business Pacemakers shared examples of print, digital, video and audio advertisements designed for clients, a newspaper special section, audience engagement event and social media campaign.

 A team of nationally recognized judges selected the 10 Pacemaker finalists. Of those 10, four received Pacemaker honors.

Student Media Business Pacemakers

Alphabetical order by state