2025 Hall of Fame inductee

Mustang News to enter ACP Hall of Fame

February, 28, 2025

Mustang News, the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, student newspaper, is being inducted into the Associated College Press Hall of Fame on March 8, as the Spring National College Media Conference in Long Beach. 

Mustang News joins the nation’s most honored collegiate student publications by earning a combination of 15 national Pacemaker and Pacemaker finalist awards since 1970.

Mustang Media Group (MMG), an integrated student-run media organization, publishes the print and online versions of Mustang News. MMG became the first program of its kind in the California State University system, bringing the student newspaper, TV studio, radio station, public relations agency and business operations under one umbrella and providing students with the type of environment that has become standard in today’s media industry. 

“What I appreciate most about this incredible milestone is that it reflects the collective efforts of our amazing students, faculty, staff and advisers who work tirelessly to support the high-quality student journalism being provided to the campus and community,” Brady Teufel, chair of the Cal Poly SLO Journalism Department, said.

Laura Widmer, ACP executive director, said the ACP Hall of Fame honors sustained excellence by student media. Mustang News joins 57 newspapers, 10 yearbooks and four magazines inducted during the past 36 years.

“This is a very significant achievement reflecting a campus that values and supports student media, with talented and dedicated student journalists guided by faculty advisers who empower students,” Widmer said.

Jon Schlitt, MMG general manager, praised the student teamwork spanning decades.

“To be inducted into the ACP Hall of Fame is an incredible honor that encompasses years of work from different staffs at Mustang Media Group in all different fields — Newspaper, Online, Multiplatform and Business,” Schlitt said. “I congratulate all of them for their work spanning decades that made this honor possible.”

ACP, with more than 570 student media outlets as members, is a national community of collegiate journalists and collegiate-journalism advisers.

The national press association advances journalism and media as a vital cultural force by connecting advisers, students and professionals through national conventions, workshops and competitions.