March 18, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Collegiate, Grand Rapids Community College’s student news publication, earned 12 awards in the college division of the 2022 Michigan Press Association Better Newspaper Contest, including four first-place honors.
The Collegiate competed in the competition’s Division 3 against other two-year college publications, with awards announced this week.
“It is more important than ever to recognize and encourage good, impactful journalism,” said Joanne Williams, associate professor of journalism and mass communication at Olivet College and MCPA president. “That is what our college newspapers are doing, and with support and recognition from contests and professionals in the field, that will continue. Our experienced faculty and advisors will see to it as well."
GRCC’s honors are:
- Best News-Only Photo – First Place. Elizabeth Halvorson, “Protests continue in GR after GRPD release the video of death of Patrick Lyoya.” Alena Visnovsky earned third place for her photo, “Why I Stopped Viewing Social Media Stories”
- Column- Review or Blog- News – First Place. Elizabeth Halvorson, “My Walk Through a Mental Minefield.”
- Column- Review or Blog- Sports – First Place. Jackson Heidon, “It’s Time for Change for the Betterment of the NFL.” Kaia Zimmerman earned third place for “The World is Putting Too Much Pressure on Athletes.”
- Editorial – Second Place. Alena Visnovsky, “Inherent Classism Continues to Impinge Community Colleges and their Students who Choose to Invest in These Low-cost Educational Options”
- Feature Photo – Third Place: Alena Visnovsky, “Why I Stopped Viewing Social Media Stories.”
- Investigative Reporting – Third Place: Brendan Petruska, “Is it Time for GRCC to Re-evaluate Pronoun Policy?” Elizabeth Halvorson, Kaia Zimmerman, Joseph Poulos earned an honorable mention for, “President Leaving GRCC After Closed Search at FSU Coverage.”
- Online Newspaper – Honorable Mention. The Collegiate
- Original Cartoon-Editorial or Entertainment– First Place: Abby Haywood, for “Tough on Toys,’ ‘President Pink Pieces Out,” and “Fact Checking with Aaron Rodgers.”’
- Sports News/Features – Third Place, Kaia Zimmerman: “GRCC announces New Softball Coach After Brian Skudre Resigns.”
The Collegiate’s faculty adviser is Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood.