ACP Pacemaker recognizes business excellence

Five collegiate student media operations recognized 

March 8, 2025

LONG BEACH (CA) — 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 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.”

In February, nine business operations  were named Pacemaker finalists. 

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.

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 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,” associate director Gary Lundgren said.

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.In February, a team of nationally recognized judges selected the 10 Pacemaker finalists. Of those, five received Pacemaker honors.

2025 Spring Convention Awards

Spring 2025 Pacemakers
Online
Student Media Business
Yearbook

Long Beach Best of Show
Individual Recognition
Staff Recognition

Advertising and Business Individual Awards

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

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

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

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

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

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