2025 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

Oct. 18, 2025

Associated Collegiate Press salutes the winners of its 2025 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 MediaFest25 in Washington, D.C., Oct. 18.

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.

MediaFest25 awards

Fall 2025 Pacemakers

Broadcast
Innovation
Magazine
Multiplatform
Newspaper/Newsmagazine

2025 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

Best of Show

Individual Recognition
Staff Recognition

First Place
S.P.A.R.K.’s Future Remains Uncertain with MSU’s New DEI Policies
Kate Myers
The Reflector
Mississippi State University

Second Place
Children’s Center Shut Down After 50 Years
Fousia Abdullahi, Lauren Harper, Alex Hoben
The Collegian
Tarrant County College (TX)

Third Place
Popular NC State Professor Marshall Brain Dies, Alleges Retaliation for Ethics Complaints
Ethan Bakogiannis, Kate Denning
Technician
North Carolina State University

Fourth Place
San Marcos High School Cleared After False Threat
Blake Leschber
The University Star
Texas State University-San Marcos

Fifth Place
Admin Proposes Eliminating Physics Department as Threat of Layoffs Looms
Dylan Hembrough
The Alestle
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Honorable mentions

Trump Administration Terminates Depaul Student’s Legal Status
Sam Freeman, Lauren Sheperd
14 East
DePaul University (IL)

Trump Administration Revokes Visas of Multiple UCLA, UC Students
Alexandra Crosnoe
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

“We Were Not Prepared:” Bowling Green Faces Historic Flooding
Clarissa Dean
Talisman
Western Kentucky University

Crystal Mangum Admits to Fabricating 2006 Duke Lacrosse Scandal Accusations
Dom Fenoglio, Ranjan Jindal, Sophie Levenson, Abby Spiller
The Chronicle
Duke University (NC)

Oxy SJP Protest and Confrontation with Security at Stritikus’s Inauguration
Jacob Whitney
The Occidental
Occidental College (CA)

First Place
Student’s Death by Suicide Reflects Problems with Veterans Mental Health Treatment
Jacob Ritondo
The Crimson White
University of Alabama

Second Place
Empty Plates and Empty Promises
Lauren Theisen
Urban Plains
Drake University (IA)

Third Place
After Shooting, MSU Promised Safety. It Delivered Surveillance
Theo Scheer, Alex Walters
The State News
Michigan State University

Fourth Place
Detaining Futures
Ryan Kupperman
The Pendulum
Elon University (NC)

Fifth Place
The School of Music and Dance’s Half Million Dollar Question
Ruby Duncan
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

Honorable mentions

What Happened to Hilltopper Hall?
Cameron Shaw
College Heights Herald
Western Kentucky University

Students and Staff Report Some Dining Workers for Harassment
Cole Reynolds, Jerry Wu
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)

Chicago’s ‘One System Initiative’: Bold Reform or a Band-Aid Solution?
Mia Abraham, Luis Caro, Sarah Hendry, LiLi Jarvenpa
The DePaulia
DePaul University (IL)

Oh, Deer: Chronic Wasting Disease
Josh Maritz
The Planet
Western Washington University

Basic Needs Centers See Record Increase in Demand
Nikki Yunker
The Union
El Camino College (CA)

First Place
Death Doulas Show End-Of-Life Care Through a Different Lens
Emily Nyberg
The Daily Iowan
University of Iowa

Second Place
Arlington’s Only Gay Bar
Christine Vo
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington

Third Place
One Decade Later: How Ferguson Boosted the Black Lives Matter Movement
Dylan Hembrough, Chloe Wolfe
The Alestle
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Fourth Place
Here’s How New Yorkers Are Fighting to Keep Community Gardens
Kennedy Sessions
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Fifth Place
Hurricane Helene Relief Through the Lens of a Black Hawk Mission
Alex Nettles
The Pendulum
Elon University (NC)

Honorable mentions

Are Mushrooms Magic?
Layth Handoush
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Less Than Half of Northeastern Bathrooms Were Fully Stocked Elli Einset
The Huntington News
Northeastern University (MA)

Returning to Nature
Carlie Weigel
Flux
University of Oregon

Su Alums Reminisce On Jabberwocky After Kimmel Demolition
Mia Jones
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Chicago’s Iraqi Novelist: The Life and Legacy of Mahmoud Saeed
Grace Logan
The DePaulia
DePaul University (IL)

First Place
UCLA Men’s Basketball Flatlined in Season-Ending Loss to Tennessee
Connor Dullinger
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Second Place
Broome’s Big Night Sends Auburn Dancing to San Antonio
Grace Heim
The Auburn Plainsman
Auburn University (AL)

Third Place
Duke Men’s Basketball Defeats Louisville 73-62 to Win ACC Championship
Ranjan Jindal
The Chronicle
Duke University (NC)

Fourth Place
Rising Senior Matt Fallon Qualifies for Paris Olympics in 200-Meter Breaststroke
Valeri Guevarra, Kristel Rambaud
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Fifth Place
Northwestern Embraces Us Vs. Them Mentality in Big Ten Tournament
Eli Kronenberg, Audrey Pachuta
Daily Northwestern
Northwestern University (IL)

Honorable mentions

Taylor-Made History: A&M Takes Down No. 1 Auburn
Ian Curtis, Chris Swann
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

South Carolina Women’s Basketball Taken Down by UConn
Brendan Dougherty
The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina

In-State Rival Stuns No. 8 Iowa State in Road Trip Gone Awry
Kayde Sheaffer
The Daily Iowan
Iowa State University

Tech Softball Hoists Big 12 Trophy Year One
Ty Kaplan
The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech University

How Wichita State Women’s Bowling Pulled Off Improbable Comeback
Jacob Unruh
The Sunflower
Wichita State University (KS)

First Place
John Feinstein Died a Sportswriting Legend
Sophie Levenson
The Chronicle
Duke University (NC)

Second Place
How three former Penn swimmers came together to sue the University
Valeri Guevarra, Sean McKeown
The Daily Pennsylvanian
University of Pennsylvania

Third Place
Haudenosaunee Push for IOC Special Approval to Compete in Lacrosse
Cooper Andrews
The Daily Orange
Syracuse University (NY)

Fourth Place
Cameron Crazies: The Origin Stories of Basketball’s Favorite Villains
Abby DiSalvo, Rachael Kaplan
The Chronicle
Duke University (NC)

Fifth Place
Mateen Bhaghani Blends Pride, Purpose to Inspire Young South Asian Athletes
Ira Gorawara
Daily Bruin
University of California, Los Angeles

Honorable mentions

Making Maichon
Ian Curtis
Maroon Life
Texas A&M University

Cal Poly Swim and Dive Athletes Battle for Reinstatement After Team Cut
Dylan Allen, Charlie Wiltsee
Mustang News
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Tennis Star Cristina Tiglea Brings Experience to Baylor
Jackson Posey
The Baylor Lariat
Baylor University (TX)

The Trailblazing Journey of Dr. Robin West: Breaking Barriers in Sports Medicine
Ameen Raissi
The John Hopkins News-Letter
Johns Hopkins University (MD)

From Bowler to Bowl Games
Julio Rodriguez
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

First Place
Entitled and Demanding
Megan Gauer, Chris Hutton, Ellie Marty, Sean Shanks
The Orion
California State University, Chico

Second Place
Three Questions for Our Future Editorial Board
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan

Third Place
History Cannot Be Forgotten
Editorial Board
The Appalachian
Appalachian State University (NC)

Fourth Place
Nyu’s Disciplinary Measures Against Students Are Reckless and Reactive
Editorial Board
Washington Square News
New York University

Fifth Place
UC, It’s Time To Stand Up and Protect Your Students, Faculty and Staff
Cecile Diroll
The Highlander
University of California, Riverside

Honorable mentions

Drag Is Free Speech Too
Editorial Board
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

In The Face of DEI Cuts, Campus Must Mobilize
Editorial Board
The Michigan Daily
University of Michigan

Cuts for Education, Cash for Administration
Maya DeHoyos
The Orion
California State University, Chico

Clawing Back Hard Earned Speech Rights
Alexa Lima
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Don’t Destroy the Campus
Nikki Yunker
The Union
El Camino College (CA)

First Place
NYU’s New Code of Conduct Redefines Political Opposition as Discrimination
Mehr Kotval
Washington Square News
New York University

Second Place
UTA’s Use of AI Imagery Is Not a Good Look
Ariana Wolf
The Shorthorn
University of Texas at Arlington

Third Place
We Need to Save Student Media — And We Need to Do It Now
Lila Sepici
Los Angeles Loyolan
Loyola University (CA)

Fourth Place
Assembly Street Is a Danger to Pedestrians
JC Vaught
The Daily Gamecock
University of South Carolina

Fifth Place
When Silence Becomes Complicity
Maria Vazquez
The Daily Texan
University of Texas at Austin

Honorable mentions

Ukrainian Fight for Democracy Continues, and You Have Power in It
Masha Smahliuk
Central Michigan Life
Central Michigan University

Portrait of a Tradition on Fire
Joshua Abraham
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

Less Is More: The Case for Knowing Less About the People Around Us
Ella Seaton
The Crimson White
University of Alabama

Liv On The Edge: Our COVID Brains
Olivia Fitts
The Express
Las Positas College (CA)

I Stand to Honor My Military Family
Zeke Watson
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

First Place
Caring About Carabiners
Gabrielle Gunter
Alice
University of Alabama

Second Place
Return of the People
Alexa Lima, Yanelli Zavina Robles
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Third Place
Behind the Curtains
Hayden Hill
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

Fourth Place
Samuel Merritt’s Story as a Descendant of a Lynching Victim
Lilly Molina
The Pendulum
Elon University (NC)

Fifth Place
Humans of Iowa State: Odalys Garcia
Chris Aukes, Jacob Rice
Iowa State Daily
Iowa State University

Honorable mentions

Misogynoir
Rihanna Pointer
Ninteen Fifty-Six
University of Alabama

Israeli and Palestinian Speakers Call for Dialogue Over Division
Casey Tharrington
The DePaulia
DePaul University (IL)

Rust Cup Encourages Queer Skaters to Lace Up for Competition
Sheelagh Doe, Haley Meberg
The Ithacan
Ithaca College (NY)

Poisoned at Home
Annika Holmberg, Meredith Taylor
The NewsHouse
Syracuse University (NY)

“I’m Not Hiding Out”: Transitioning Late in Life
Avery Sloan
The Pendulum
Elon University (NC)

First Place
Christianity and Climate Change: Dueling Forces in Louisiana
Olivia Warren
The Tulane Hullabaloo
Tulane University (LA)

Second Place
Wildfire Smoke Threatens Eugene’s Most Vulnerable
Ceci Cronin
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

Third Place
Belgrade’s Fog, Chicago’s Smog
Jana Simovic
14 East
DePaul University (IL)

Fourth Place
Uncertainty Over Presidential Election Worries Climate-Impacted Immigrants
Pamela Appea
NYCity News Service
City University of New York

Fifth Place
Wildfires Consume Southern California
Olivia Pavao
The Collegian
California State University, Fresno

Honorable mentions

Inventing a Sustainable Future
Caleb Crain
34th Street Magazine
University of Pennsylvania

The Power of a Signature
Ana Haapala
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

Sensitivity and Climate Disaster Conversations
Lily Reese
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

Restoring Coral Reefs and Lowland Forests
Winslette Quiray-Santiago
Ke Alaka’i
Brigham Young University-Hawaii

$37 Million in Grant Funding Will Rehabilitate Louisiana Coastline
Rosemary Mulvey
The Tulane Hullabaloo
Tulane University (LA)

First Place
Till the Wheels Fall Off
Nathan Feller
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

Second Place
Thirty Years of a Cuban Man’s Quiet Revolution
Sofie Lara
Daily Emerald
University of Oregon

Third Place
The Mobley Twins: A Brotherhood in Basketball
Olivia Fitts
The Express
Las Positas College (CA)

Fourth Place
Behind the Curtains
Hayden Hill
Ponder
Black Hills State University (SD)

Fifth Place
Dreaming of an Orange Christmas
Alfonso Julián Camacho
The Southwestern College Sun
Southwestern College (CA)

Honorable mentions

After Over Three Years on the Transplant List, Ball State Student Shares His Story
Ella Howell
The Ball State Daily News
Ball State University (IN)

“Our Job Is to Love People”
Ian Curtis
The Battalion
Texas A&M University

“I’m Not Hiding Out”: Transitioning Late in Life
Avery Sloan
The Pendulum
Elon University (NC)

How a Childhood Dream of Opening a Record Store Was Fulfilled in Retirement
Natalie Staggers
The Reflector
Mississippi State University

Baking Bonds and Community
Erica Lee
Warrior Life
El Camino College (CA)