Herald editors and staffers brought home 42 awards in Friday’s annual Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) conference. The conference drew student news outlets from all over the state. 

The conference, held at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, recognized the work of student-run newspapers, TV and radio stations, yearbooks and online outlets from 2023. There were over 700 entries.

In addition, students could network with professional news outlets and attend breakout sessions that covered anything from using artificial intelligence in reporting to freelancing.

“I had the dumbest grin on my face the whole time,” said Herald editor-in-chief Rachel Rudd. “Working at a student newspaper isn’t easy, but getting to see my staff be rewarded for all the work they’ve put into this paper and just knock it out of the park was amazing.”

The general excellence awards are as follows: 

• 2nd place Designer of the Year: Rebecca Robinson
• 3rd place Reporter of the Year: Caroline Averitt
• 3rd place Editor of the Year: Rudd
• 3rd place Newspaper General Excellence
• Runner-Up Website General Excellence

Averitt, a senior multimedia journalism major from Jonesboro and Herald life editor, placed in the following categories: 

• 1st place Newspaper Headlines
• 1st place Online Personality Profile
• 2nd place Online Headlines
• 2nd place Newspaper Election/Political
• 2nd place Newspaper Editorial Page Layout
• 2nd place Newspaper Review Writing
• 2nd place Audio Podcast (shared with Laila Casiano and Shelby Russom)
• 3rd place Newspaper Feature Writing
• 3rd place Editorials/Commentary/Blogs
• 3rd place Online Personality Profile
• 3rd place Newspaper Sports Story
• 3rd place Online Newswriting
• 3rd place Online Arts and Entertainment Articles
• Honorable Mention Online Feature Photo

“It was only meaningful to win anything at all because I was with my fellow staff who have pushed me to be better and grown alongside me,” Averitt said. “As a graduating senior, I am so thankful to have been recognized for my work, but more importantly, I am thankful to be a small part of The Herald and its legacy.”

Jerry Don Burton, a sophomore multimedia journalism major from Wynne and Herald news editor, placed second in Online Arts and Entertainment Articles.

Robinson, former Herald editor-in-chief and now a reporter for KASU, placed in the following categories:

• 1st place Online Arts and Entertainment Review
• 1st place Newspaper Review Writing
• 1st place Newspaper Sports Page Layout
• 1st place Online Topical Reporting/Blogs (shared with Rudd)
• 1st place Newspaper Front Page Layout (shared with Rudd)
• Honorable Mention Online Arts and Entertainment Review

Rudd, a senior creative media production major from Beebe, Arkansas, placed in the following categories:

• 1st place In-Depth News
• 1st place Online News Writing
• 1st place Online Feature Writing
• 1st place Online News Photo
• 1st place Front Page Layout (shared with Robinson)
• 1st place Online Topical Reporting (shared with Robinson)
• 2nd place Newspaper Spot News Photo
• 2nd place Newspaper Personality Profile
• 2nd place Newspaper General Column
• 3rd place Multimedia Package
• 3rd place Online Topical Reporting/Blogs
• 3rd place Online Sports Photo
• 3rd place Newspaper In-Depth News
• 3rd place Online In-Depth Reporting
• 3rd place Audio Podcast (won for Red Wolf Radio)
• Honorable Mention Newspaper Feature Writing

Russom, a senior multimedia journalism major from Paragould and Herald staff photographer, placed third in Newspaper Spot News Photo and Newspaper Feature Photo.

Elijah Templeton, a junior English major from Jonesboro and Herald opinion editor, got an honorable mention in Newspaper Editorial Writing.

“This was my first ACMA experience and it did not disappoint,” said Casiano, a junior multimedia journalism major from Paragould and Herald social media editor. “I had such a great time being able to learn the different mediums of journalism and seeing the endless possibilities this career can provide.”

The next ACMA will be held at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway April 11, 2025. 

Categories: News