ACP Pacemaker recognizes business excellence

Nine collegiate student media operations recognized 

Feb. 14, 2025

MINNEAPOLIS — The Associated Collegiate Press has named nine collegiate student media operations as finalists in its Student Media Business Pacemaker competition.

The finalists will be honored and the Pacemaker winners announced during Saturday’s awards ceremony at the ACP Spring National College Media Conference,  March 6-8, 2025, in Long Beach, at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach.

Of the nine finalists, five will receive Pacemaker honors.

“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,” said ACP associate director Gary Lundgren.

The judges were impressed with the entries.

“The Pacemaker winners put together outstanding application packets that included important information on training programs, development of various products and goals,” the judging team wrote. “These schools also had strong media kits and put together great examples of product work.”

The ACP Pacemaker, 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 websites were added to the competition.

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. 

“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.”

Please join us at the National College Media Conference March 6 – 8 in California. Register online.

This convention provides a unique opportunity to network with industry professionals, learn from seasoned journalists, and gain valuable insights into the ever-evolving world of media and journalism.

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Spring Pacemaker finalists
Yearbook
Online
Business

Mustang Media Group
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
Student Leadership: Morgan Fitzgerald, Sean Harmon, Emma James, Adrienne Liang, Alexander Poroy, Kat Smith, Amanda Wahl
Adviser: Jon Schlitt

Cherry Creative & Student Publications Advertising
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Student Leadership: Emma Bayens, Bailey Brush, Keelin Davis, Abby Loftus, Nicole Johnson
Advisers: Sam Oldenburg, Avari Stamps

Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Student Leadership: Hannah Stanley
Advisers: Ryan Craig, Bryce McNeil

The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Student Leadership: Matthew Doctoroff, Jack Jassy, Matt Melucci, Ben Morrison, Meredith Zielonka

Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Student Leadership: Olivia Garcia, Rachel Kidder, Paige Toms, Brittany Stevens
Adviser: Kathy Simon

OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Student Leadership: Jacqueline Perkins, Chase Pride
Adviser: Lynn Nguyen

The Daily Pennsylvanian Inc.
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Student Leadership: Molly Cohen, Dhruv Gupta, Edward Liu, Irene Park, Sangeeta Quddus, Zain Qureshi
Advisers: Christine Knooren, Steven Molberger, Katherine Ross

The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Student Leadership: Hailey Do, Christine Vo
Advisers: Adam Drew, Laurie Fox, Aakeem Reynolds

Texas A&M Student Media
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Student Leadership: Hayden Arevalo, Hamsini Mahadevan, Emma Moser, Julius Sjolie
Adviser: Spencer O’Daniel