2020 Story of the Year
Oct. 22, 2020
Associated Collegiate Press salutes the winners of its 2020 Story of the Year competition.
Winners were announced during the ACP/CMA Fall National College Media Convention awards ceremony, presented virtually on Oct. 22.
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 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.
WATCH
the awards ceremony for Pacemakers and Individual Awards
on Oct. 22, 2020.
2020 ACP Individual Awards
Advertisement • Cartoon • Design
Multimedia • Reporter • Photo • Story
Best Use of Social Media • COVID-19 Coverage
2020 ACP Pacemakers
Broadcast • Business • Innovation
Magazine • Newspaper • Online • 2019 Yearbook
Best of Show
Virtual 2020
Fall National College Media Convention
Oct. 24, 2020
Breaking News Story
McCain Institute head Kurt Volker steps down as US diplomat
First
Andrew Howard
The State Press
Arizona State University
Phoenix, Arizona
Protest spills into the streets as both sides dispute negotiation efforts
Second
Kallan Arkeder, Toby Craner, Meilin Quinn
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Third
Zach Walker
The Clarion
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota
Jerry Sandusky’s 30-to-60-year prison sentence doesn’t change after resentencing hearing
Fourth
Maddie Aiken
The Daily Collegian
Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania
Disheartening: Students, faculty react to calls to fire WSU President Jay Golden over Ivanka Trump fiasco
Fifth
Daniel Caudill, Emily Dulohery, Lindsay Smith
The Sunflower
Wichita State University
Wichita, Kansas
Seven arrests, 110 officers, tear gas and flash bangs down Santa Rosa in San Luis Obispo Protests
Honorable mention
Aidan McGloin
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
Breaking down the UK cheerleading hazing investigation
Honorable mention
Natalie Parks
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
King’s freshmen rescued after jumping into Hudson
Honorable mention
Mattie Townson
Empire State Tribune
King’s College
New York, New York
OU Gaylord College professor uses racial slur during class in comparison to ‘OK, boomer’ phrase
Honorable mention
Nick Hazelrigg, Bailey Lewis, Jordan Miller
OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Former ICE Director Thomas Homan returned to speak at Penn. Protesters returned too
Honorable mention
Jonah Charlton, Pia Singh
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
In-Depth News Story
Three Renowned Harvard Anthropologists Face Allegations of Sexual Harassment
First
James Bikales
The Harvard Crimson
Harvard University
Cambridge, Massachusetts
New York college students eagerly await marijuana legalization
Second
Rocio Fortuny, Patrick Linehan
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
The full story: How lack of oversight allowed a UGA employee to steal $1.3 million over a decade
Third
Spencer Donovan, Hunter Riggall, Savannah Sicurella
The Red & Black
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Fourth
Jana Allen
OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Lexington’s East End: A changing neighborhood
Fifth
Bailey Vandiver
KRNL Lifestyle + Fashion
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
ASU abandoned most of its operational sustainability goals
Honorable mention
Molly Stellino
The State Press
Arizona State University
Phoenix, Arizona
Freedom Wall Saga Casts Light on Relationship between Pepperdine and LGBTQ+ Students
Honorable mention
James Moore, Alex Neis
Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
When the Dean Said a Slur, and Then Got Promoted
Honorable mention
Leo Smith
F Newsmagazine
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Texas Tech sexual assault complaints, arrest follow Jett Duffey in recruitment to CMU
Honorable mention
Evan Petzold
Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Honorable mention
Matthew Fischetti
Washington Square News
New York University
New York, New York
Feature Story
Courageous: The Maggie Nichols story
First
George Stoia
OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
By chance:
Students who switched tickets escaped the Pan Am Flight 103 bombing
Second
Jordan Muller
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
One Year Later: Beauregard Mourns
Third
Cory Blackmon, Trice Brown, Evan Mealins
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
You Can’t Not Take That Home’:
Penn Nurses on the Emotional Toll of Coronavirus
Fourth
Annabelle Williams
34th Street Magazine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
An inside look at the struggle of a sexual assault survivor
Fifth
Cecilia Lenzen
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington
Arlington, Texas
Humanitarian pushes through traumatic past to help others
Honorable mention
Fernando Haro
The Union
El Camino College
Torrance, California
Art Student’s Paint Brush Draws ‘Giants’
Honorable mention
Ande Richards
Collegian
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles, California
Walking dynamite lights up community
Honorable mention
Cheyenne Miller
Crusader News
Seward County Community College
Liberal, Kansas
Honorable mention
Maddie Christy, Emma Harville, Manisha Shakuntala, Katie Viesselman
Textura India
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota
The story of a Paralympic gold medal-winning sled hockey player
Honorable mention
Dominic Hoscher
Lindenlink
Lindenwood University
St. Charles, Missouri
Sports Game Story
‘Absolutely devastating’:
This loss, 98-96 in OT to Duke, is a brutal one for UNC
First
Chapel Fowler
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Louisville crushes Syracuse’s bowl game ambitions with 56-34 win
Second
Andrew Graham
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Michigan fails to overcome early deficit, loses to Penn State, 28-21
Third
Max Marcovitch
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Richmond stunts men’s basketball’s two-game win streak
Fourth
Emily Maise
The GW Hatchet
The George Washington University
Washington, D.C
Fifth
Landon Dierks
The Collegian
South Dakota State University
Brookings, South Dakota
Gonzaga Outlasts Pepperdine in Conference Battle
Honorable mention
Austin Hall
Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Guy’s Game Winner Leads Eagles to Season Sweep of Notre Dame
Honorable mention
Emma Healy
The Heights
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA
‘LeBron Tillman’ and the final play that helped MSU men’s basketball escape Illinois
Honorable mention
Chase Michaelson
The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Final foul lifts Louisville over Pitt, 73-68
Honorable mention
Stephen Thompson
The Pitt News
University of Pittsburg
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Bobcats knock off panthers in triple-overtime thriller
Honorable mention
Colton McWilliams
The University Star
Texas State University
San Marcos, Texas
Sports Feature Story
In a city full of Girards, Joseph Girard III made it big
First
Josh Schafer
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Walk-on to coach:
How Jon Fleming moved from one seat on the bench to another
Second
Ian Kreider
KentWired.com
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio
Third
Taylor Jennings-Brown
Garnet & Black
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Crissy Shannon: Bending over backwards for Pitt band
Fourth
Trent Leonard
The Pitt News
University of Pittsburg
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fifth
Emma Eidsvoog, Nala Goyal, Braeden Peterson, Vada Stoddard, Jake Van Loh
Textura India
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota
Honorable mention
Ethan Sears
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
This is our normal and it’s wonderful’:
How OU’s coaches’ wives will make sure Santa finds Sooner families in Atlanta at College Football Playoff
Honorable mention
George Stoia
OU Daily
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Chase Adams steps up as ‘glue of the family’ as grandmother battles coronavirus
Honorable mention
Kyle Garcia
The Beacon
University of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Where his brother’s memory lives on, Penn State men’s lacrosse’s Teddy Darcey blazes his own trail
Honorable mention
Shane Connelly
The Daily Collegian
Penn State University
State College, Pennsylvania
Following physical and emotional hardship, Courtanae Calhoun is looking to strike back
Honorable mention
Brianna Harmon
The Et Cetera
Eastfield College
Mesquite, Texas
Editorial
Mayor Bottoms, tear down this statue!
First
Staff
The Signal
Georgia State University
Atlanta, Georgia
Second
Tori Pender
The College Voice
Mercer County Community College
Cranbury, New Jersey
It’s On Us, but it’s also on MSU
Third
Staff
The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Administrators need to issue parking permit refunds this month
Fourth
Omar Rashad
The Union
El Camino College
Torrance, California
Dropping the ball:
Moving rivalry game to Detroit upsets students, locals
Fifth
Dylan Goetz
Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, Michigan
Denying proposed calendar ignores the needs of students, disrupts shared governance
Honorable mention
Kaylie McLaughlin
The Collegian
Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas
UK planning committees, here are some things you must consider
Honorable mention
Natalie Parks
Kentucky Kernel
University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Editorial: UNC’s coronavirus response — the good, the bad and the ugly
Honorable mention
Staff
The Daily Tar Heel
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Column
First
Solé Ruiz
The Sun
Southwestern College
Chula Vista, California
Disrespect of Black men is demoralizing
Second
Jules Graebner
Stephens Life
Stephens College
Columbia, Missouri
Piecing life together after an eating disorder
Third
Missy Johnson
Talisman
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Breath is Precious: The Vaping Disease Killed My Mother
Fourth
Mary Margaret Davis
The Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Fifth
Alyssa Story
Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
Honorable mention
Erin Holve
The Orion
California State University, Chico
Chico, California
Shiavon’s Jawn: I was raised by a village that didn’t talk about feelings
Honorable mention
Shiavon Chatman
The State Hornet
California State University, Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Tracing the origins and present-day resurgence of anti-Semitism
Honorable mention
Madison Lotenschtein
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Opinion | One year later: Perspective from a Tree of Life congregation member
Honorable mention
Aidan Segal
The Pitt News
University of Pittsburg
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Honorable mention
Joshua Howell
The Battalion
Texas A&M University
College Station, Texas
Diversity Story
First
Megan Conn, Georgina Hallowell, Larisa Karr Karr, Modou Nyang
NYCity News Service
City University of New York
New York, New York
’We are tenacious’:
The first-generation, low-income student experience at Duke
Second
Shannon Fang
The Chronicle
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
We can help ourselves:’ Native women come together to confront high rates of maternal mortality
Third
Delia Johnson, Kyley Warren
Cronkite News
Arizona State University
Phoenix, Arizona
Fourth
Kevin Caparoso
Warrior Life
El Camino College
Torrance, California
Fifth
Annie Aguiar
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
Honorable mention
Karina Zapata
Calgary Journal
Mount Royal University
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Honorable mention
Bridgette Baron, Lauren Ho, Dustin Newman, Kaia Sherry, Max Wu
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
If it isn’t intersectional, it isn’t feminism
Honorable mention
Makena Huey, Maria Belen Iturralde, Brianna Willis
Currents
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
When the illness is invisible:
Kent State students living with chronic illness turn to each other for support
Honorable mention
Lyndsey Brennan
KentWired.com
Kent State University
Kent, Ohio
Racism continues to surface in the Church and at BYU
Honorable mention
Lisi Merkley
The Daily Universe
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
Local Climate Change Reporting
The Local Climate Change Reporting contest is in partnership with the George Mason University Center for Climate Change Communication.
First
Quinn Clark, Sam Dahm, Michael Greer, Meghan Gresk, Jeanna Prudhomme
Arches
Mount Mary University
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
In Focus: As climate change worsens, combined sewers pose new issues
Second
Emma Edmund
The Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois
Sea Level Rise and Its Impact on Coastal Cities Like Malibu
Third
Jenna Gaertner, Brianna Willis
The Graphic
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Fourth
Max Zambrano
Talisman
Western Kentucky University
Bowling Green, Kentucky
Divestment, Part 2: A ‘Neutral’ Policy
Fifth
Dustin Lowman
F Newsmagazine
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
It’s gettin’ hot in here:
Reproductive, climate justice intersect at ‘A Case for Climate and Sex Symposium’
Honorable mention
Layla Chamberlin
The Daily Californian
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Honorable mention
Richard Tzul
University Times
California State University – Los Angeles
Cerritos, California
Climate Inaction: Historical activism and the University’s response to the climate movement
Honorable mention
Erin White
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Big Ten students call for fossil fuel divestment
Honorable mention
Wendy Guzman
The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
Behind Penn’s 1.5* Minute Climate Lectures
Honorable mention
Fernanda Brizuela
34th Street Magazine
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ernie Pyle Human-Interest Profile
The Human-Interest Profile Award is sponsored by the Ernie Pyle Legacy Foundation and Scripps Howard.
First
Caroline Anders
Indiana Daily Student
Indiana University
Bloomington, Indiana
It fills my soul’: One woman’s goal to train psychiatric service dogs for survivors
Second
C.J. Moore
The State News
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan
2 years ago, she was pre-med at the UI. Now, she’s running her own organic farm
Third
Katelyn Weisbrod
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa
Neal Powless: SU Ombuds brings a message of healing to a polarized world
Fourth
Amanda Paule
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Fifth
Kimiko Dugan
SALT: Military Photojournalism 2020
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
Making a discovery: How Julianna Ramirez used her passion for science to find success
Honorable mention
Michelle Johnson
The Arbiter
Boise State University
Boise, Idaho
Honorable mention
Zach Walker
The Clarion
Bethel University
St. Paul, Minnesota
Financial independence at 25 cents an hour
Honorable mention
Omar Padillo
Washington Square News
New York University
New York, New York
Chasing ice with the U.S. Coast Guard
Honorable mention
Mia Werner
The Beacon
University of Portland
Portland, Oregon
Finding stillness in the chaos
Honorable mention
Skye Seip
The Et Cetera
Eastfield College
Mesquite, Texas