2024 Story of the Year winners

Breaking News Story • In-Depth News Story
Feature Story • Sports Game Story
Sports Feature Story • Editorial
Column • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
Local Climate Change Reporting • Ernie Pyle Human Interest Profile

Nov. 2, 2024

Associated Collegiate Press salutes the winners of its 2024 Story of the Year competition.

ACP’s Individual Awards are among the top prizes in collegiate media, and the awards are a showcase of journalistic excellence.

Winners were announced during the Fall National College Media Convention, on Nov 2 in New Orleans.

The University of Minnesota’s Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication sponsors the ACP Story of the Year contest for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Reporting.

The winner receives a $500 cash award presented by the Hubbard School.

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

The center develops and applies social-science insights to help society make informed decisions that will stabilize the earth’s life-sustaining climate and prevent further harm from climate change.

The first-place winner earns $500, and the second and third place winners $300 and $200 respectively. With team reporting, the cash prize is divided among the names on the entry.

The Ernie Pyle Human-Interest Profile award is in honor of 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 who 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.

The first-place winner earns $2,200. The second-place winner $1,200, the third-place winner $800, the-fourth place winner $500, and the fifth-place winner $300 from the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and Scripps Howard Foundation.

2024 Fall Convention Awards

2024 Individual Awards

Story of the Year
Reporter of the Year
Multimedia Story of the Year
Design of the Year
Photo of the Year
Cartoon of the Year
Broadcast Story of the Year

First Place
BREAKING: Divest Coalition protesters sit in at Kirkland Hall, at least seven suspended
Tasfia Alam, Aaditi Lele, Katherine Oung, Rachael Perrotta, Josh Rehders
Vanderbilt Hustler
Vanderbilt University (TN)

Second Place
Faculty member killed in shooting at UNC Chapel Hill
Abigail Hobbs
Elon News Network
Elon University (NC)

Third Place
Prosecution granted retrial on all hung counts in James Heaps case
Matthew Royer
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Fourth Place
BREAKING: Stabbing occurs at Peacock Hall
Jenna Guzman
The Appalachian
Appalachian State University (NC)

Fifth Place
Duke student involved with campus overdose death sentenced to 3 months in federal prison
Jazper Lu, Adway Wadekar
The Chonicle
Duke University (NC)

Honorable mentions

CPD, Public Safety tear down protest encampment
Rose O’Keeffe, Lilly Keller, Claire Tweedie, Lucia Preziosi, Jake Cox
The DePaulia
DePaul University (IL)

Biology professor David Stachura resigns
Shane Aweeka
The Orion
California State University, Chico

Hundreds of protesters detained after police breach pro-Palestine encampment at UCLA
Catherine Hamilton, Matthew Royer
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

One faculty member killed in shooting, suspect charged with first degree murder
Emmy Martin, Abby Pender
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

CPP Bronco Scholars’ coordinator terminated after misconduct allegations
Matthew Acosta, Christie Counts
The Poly Post
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

First Place
A&M’s failed hiring of Kathleen McElroy: An in-depth look
Nicholas Gutteridge
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

Second Place
Copy-and-Paste: How Allegations of Plagiarism Became the Culture War’s New Frontier
Angelina Parker, Neil Shah
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University (MA)

Third Place
“I thought I was going to die”: UCLA encampment protesters recall April 30 attack
Catherine Hamilton
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Fourth Place
A Tisch professor disappeared during a misconduct investigation. Two semesters later, he’s scheduled to teach again.
Carmo Moniz
Washington Square News
New York University

Fifth Place
Students react to series of swatting threats on campus
Caroline Stevenson
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

Honorable mentions

Men’s rugby found responsible for hazing
Tim Bruns
The Equinox
Keene State College (NH)

Nearly 30 parents move to sue the Cloisters living facility over unlivable conditions
Lauren Ferrer
The Miami Hurricane
University of Miami (FL)

Protest Encampment: ‘We plan to stay here’
Lilly Keller, Lucia Preziosi, Jake Cox, Rose O’Keeffe, Claire Tweedie
The DePaulia
DePaul University (IL)

Death of woman sends shockwaves to El Camino community; lack of communication from administration and police raises concern
Angela Osorio, Ma. Gisela Ordenes
The Union
El Camino College (CA

Shame and Silence: The hidden struggles of women battling pelvic pain
Dustin Staggs
The Hill
University of Arkansas

First Place
Sitting with the silence
Soraya Keiser, Alyssa Malyon
The Clarion
Bethel University (MN)

Second Place
From Hood to Hope: The story of Dr. Damon Horton
Natalie Tanaka
Pursuit
California Baptist University

Third Place
Low to the ground
Sebastian Studier, Abbigail Bates, Taylor Hanson, Emma Carmichael, Neelam Gujjar
Textura
Bethel University (MN)

Fourth Place
“I was terrified”
Nicholas Gutteridge
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

Fifth Place
Seeking sobriety amidst a culture of parties and drugs
Cam Garber
Arbutus
Indiana University

Honorable mentions

A Generation in Crisis
Sarah Jamil
Drake Mag
Drake University (IA)

Deportee’ Still Haunts America
Nicolette Monique Luna
The Southwestern College
Sun Southwestern College (CA)

Angola Prison Rodeo: Last vestige of gladiators
Aidan McCahill
The Tulane Hullabaloo
Tulane University (LA)

Let the Light In Finding Hope Amid Darkness
Yamillah Hurtado
Currents
Pepperdine University (CA)

We are still alive: Friends, colleagues fundraise for SU alumnus’ evacuation from Palestine
Samantha Olander
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

First Place
Hardwood Superheroes
Emily Ingco
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Second Place
“Every moment was special:” UNC men’s basketball reflects on season after stunning loss to Alabama in Sweet 16
Shelby Swanson
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Third Place
Dyaisha Fair era at Syracuse ends with 72-64 loss to UConn in 2nd round of NCAA Tournament
Cooper Andrews
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Fourth Place
Ball State mens basketball stays alive in MAC Tournament contention, beats Kent State
Kyle Smedley
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University (IN)

Fifth Place
Inside Indiana women’s basketball’s devastated locker room after season-ending loss to South Carolina
Dalton James
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University

Honorable mentions

Syracuse upsets No. 7 North Carolina, defeats AP Top 10 team for 1st time since 2019
Tyler Schiff
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Late Drew Allar TD helps Penn State survive nail-biter against Indiana
Sam Woloson
The Daily Collegian
Pennsylvania State University

Mankato Madness
Wesley Miller
Northwest Missourian
Northwest Missouri State University

Men’s Lacrosse Falls to Yale 17-15
Katharine Forst
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University (MA)

Mountaineers men’s basketball captures fifth straight win in upset over Auburn
Ethan Smith, Max Sanborn
The Appalachian
Appalachian State University (NC)

First Place
“The best of us”: Chris Snow’s belief, strength helped him leave an impact wherever he went
Connor Smith
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Second Place
Football: Northwestern’s Timi Oke embarks on journey from London to the Big Ten
Jake Epstein
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)

Third Place
The untold story of Edwin Okoroma, UNC’s first Black varsity athlete
Brendan Lunga
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Fourth Place
Buddy’s Buddy: The Lifelong Friendship of Two Football Legends
Griffin Wong
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University (MA)

Fifth Place
The first season
Marissa Meador
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University

Honorable mentions

Forever Young
Seth Quinn
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

Hockey streets and ice sheets, St. Louis and back again with Jake Barczewski
Lys Goldman
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan

“I Have to See How This Story Ends”
Elliott Deins
Flux Magazine
University of Oregon

From France to Cali
Jack Bynum
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

100 Lions: Changing the big leagues: Former MLB player Billy Bean (’86) reflects on historic career (E59)
Chris Benis, Olivia Palombo
Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University (CA)

First Place
NYU, why didn’t you call Robinson’s foul?
Editorial Board
Washington Square News
New York University

Second Place
Women’s basketball players deserve better
Jami Martin-Trainor
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

Third Place
This can’t be the new normal
Editorial Board
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University (IN)

Fourth Place
It’s time to hold WKU leadership to a higher standard
Alexandria Anderson, Price Wilborn
College Heights Herald
Western Kentucky University

Fifth Place
LaCrosse Chancellor’s OnlyFans: Wrongful termination
Cassidy Johnson, Anya Kelley, Kelly Hueckman
The Advance-Titan
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh

Honorable mentions

It’s concerning an administrator, SGA don’t know the law
Editorial Board
The Breeze
James Madison University (VA)

Counselor Shortage Plagues Students
Luis Zavala
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Title IX response lacks reach, humility, engagement
Jenna Fitzgerald
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University (TX)

Editorial board condemns the decision to evict students living in vehicles
Angel Barker, Dezmond Remington, Alana Hackman
The Lumberjack
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt

El Camino and the First Amendment
Ma. Gisela Ordenes
The Union
El Camino College (CA)

First Place
How Harvard Killed Its Best Title IX Resource
Rachael Dziaba
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University (MA)

Second Place
ABEL: In case I die in a school shooting
Zoe Abel
Vanderbilt Hustler
Vanderbilt University (TN)

Third Place
Spencer Gibbs | How to fire an Ivy League president
Spencer Gibbs
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Fourth Place
Impact of affirmative action ruling
Claire Liddicoat
The Clarion
Madison Area Technical College (WI)

Fifth Place
A blatant disregard of tradition
Charis Adkins
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

Honorable mentions
A billboard badly done beyond all believable bounds
Dezmond Remington
The Lumberjack
California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt

Where should I go? Bridging the partisan divide on trans bathroom restrictions requires open dialogue
Mateo-Luis Planas
Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University (CA)

CHUNG: Vanderbilt reveals its true colors after dropping in rank
Olivia Chung
Vanderbilt Hustler
Vanderbilt University (TN)

Negative thoughts surrounding body image don’t have to control you
Kyle Smedley
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University (IN)

Ramadan sees tragedy in Gaza
Tahura Badar
The Washtenaw Voice
Washtenaw Community College (MI)

First Place
The Newest New Yorkers
Staff
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Second Place
Diversity remains focus in Vanderbilt admissions post-affirmative action and 2024 U.S. News ranking
Rachael Perrotta
Vanderbilt Hustler
Vanderbilt University (TN)

Third Place
AI Boom Poses Threat to Trans Community, Experts Warn
Eduardo Salazar
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Fourth Place
Advocates say pro-refugee stance creates a thriving Syracuse community
Jolie Zenna
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

Fifth Place
The Faces Behind Gray Divorce
Maci Hoskins
Ball Bearings
Ball State University (IN)

Honorable mentions
Minority-serving institution designations and their implications at UCLA
Bryana Plata
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

“You’re creating Black history”
Naomi Washington
Elon News Network
Elon University (NC)

‘Good Day To Be An Indian’
Alexa Lima, Emily Esparza, Briana Nuñez
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

“Medicine for Harvard”: Harvard’s Struggles to Repair Relationship with Native American Tribes
Ellie Klibaner-Schiff, Jade Lozada
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University (MA)

La Pachucada
Lizeth Martinez
el Don
Santa Ana College (CA)

First Place
Climate Crisis Requires Better Collaboration, Groups Tell NYC
Mary Cunningham
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Second Place
The Sticky Truth: Santa Barbara’s Unique Relationship to Oil
Grant Menolascino, Adam Bagul, Makenna Gaeta
Word
University of California, Santa Barbara

Third Place
Feeling like the last resort
Kate Farr
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University (IN)

Fourth Place
A Deep Dive Into Chicago’s Climate Inequality
Gia Clarke
14 East
DePaul University (IL)

Fifth Place
Students for climate justice: The intersection between academics and activism
Polina Belova, Teresa Mo
Washington Square News
New York University

Honorable mentions

Opinion: Columbia should address eco-anxiety, worries about sustainability as students confront climate change
Peyton Reich
The Columbia Chronicle
Columbia College Chicago (N)

Annual MI Healthy Climate Plan report shows movement toward state-wide goals
Eva Bard
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan

Pilsen and the Green Space Gap in Chicago
Jared Lam
14 East
DePaul University (IL)

Researchers warn of potential rise in extreme weather in Westwood
Myra Hussain
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

SHAH: Our climate curriculum is cursory — and that needs to change
Pragya Shah
Vanderbilt Hustler
Vanderbilt University (TN)

First Place
“There’s Power in Being Onstage”: Clown Finds Calling
Natalie Robbins
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Second Place
Humanitarian Founded Schools in Tijuana Dumps
Camila Gonzalez
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Third Place
Madison College student shines a light on a world of possibilities
Kelly Feng
The Clarion
Madison Area Technical College (WI)

Fourth Place
Emily Ridings Weaves Her Own Story
Rana Alsoufi
KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion
University of Kentucky

Fifth Place
“I Have to See How This Story Ends”
Elliott Deins
Flux
University of Oregon

Honorable mentions

South Carolina baseball bullpen catcher breaks barriers, supports players as 1st woman in position for Power Five team
Annie Poteat
The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina

Cooking up community: The UCLA student behind Poom Thai Cuisine
Alicia Carhee, Sam Mulick
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Bowling with Barry
Brandon Rowley
el Don
Santa Ana College (CA)

A Commitment to the Struggle
Emily Rogers
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

“My prison cell became my university”: Benard McKinley’s journey to civil rights law
Naomi Taxay
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)