honors and awards
One objective measure of the quality of student media publications and programs are regional and national competitions. This also serves as a comparative measure to peer institutions, and in the case of VSC, a comparison of how Vanderbilt students match up to students at institutions with academic journalism and mass communications programs.
VSC groups have competed primarily in competitions sponsored by six regional and national organizations.
SOUTHEAST JOURNALISM CONFERENCE (SEJC) is a collegiate journalism consortium that includes some 40 colleges and universities in seven states. Vanderbilt is a charter member of this 13-year-old association.
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS (SPJ) is a 90-year-old association for professional journalists sponsors an annual Mark of Excellence competition open to college and university journalists.
ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE PRESS (ACP) began serving college publications in 1933. It is the largest national association for student publications. Its highest award, The Pacemaker, is generally accepted in the communications industry to be the higher education equivalent to the Pulitzer Prize.
COLUMBIA SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION (CSPA) started at Columbia University in New York in 1925. Its national award, The Gold Crown, given only to the top two percent of college publications, is considered as an equal to an ACP Pacemaker.
COLLEGE MEDIA ASSOCIATION (CMA) is the nation’s oldest and largest association for higher education professionals who work in journalism education directly advising student media. The organization has more than 750 members at 550 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. CMA honors annually the best design work produced in student publications with its competition called The Best of Collegiate Design and the best in college electronic media with its Pinnacle Award.
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPERS (SUN) is comprised of 21 southern schools ranging from Florida to Virginia. The organization focuses mainly on student newspaper advertising and the training of advertising managers and/or sales staffs. SUN distributes its annual awards at the annual SUN Conference held every September in Atlanta.
our group honors
The list below includes many of the major awards won by VSC organizations during the past several years. Unfortunately, incomplete records preclude an inclusive list or one that extends beyond 1984. It is also worth noting that in many years groups did not enter competitions in which they were eligible. Records indicate that Vanderbilt students have won more than 100 individual awards in SEJC, SPJ, ACP, and CSPA competitions. These include only organizational awards
( * denotes highest award given in category).
commodore
ACP First Class, 1988
ACP Second Class, 1990
ACP All American, 1991
* ACP Pacemaker, 1991
ACP All American, 1992
* ACP Pacemaker, 1992
CSPA Medalist, 1992
ACP All American, 1993
CSPA Silver Crown, 1993
* ACP Pacemaker, 1994
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1994
* ACP Pacemaker, 1995
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1995
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1996
CMA Best of Collegiate Design Third Place Yearbook Cover Design, 2001
ACP Best of Show Third Place, 2002
CMA Best of Collegiate Design Second Place Yearbook Individuals Spread Design, 2002
ACP Pacemaker Finalist, 2002
CSPA Gold Circle Second Place Academic Spread with Color, 2004
CSPA Silver Crown, 2004
insidevandy.com
* SEJC Best College Website, 2006
* SEJC Best College Website, 2007
* SEJC Best College Website, 2008
* SEJC Best College Website, 2009
the vanderbilt hustler
* SPJ Best All-Around Newspaper, 1988
CSPA Medalist, 1988
CSPA Silver Crown, 1988
SEJC Public Service Journalism, 1988
CSPA Medalist, 1990
SEJC Honorable Mention Best Newspaper, 1990
CSPA Medalist, 1991
CSPA Silver Crown, 1991
CSPA Medalist, 1992
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1992
* SEJC Best Newspaper, 1993
SEJC Third Best Newspaper, 1996
CSPA Certificate of Merit, 1997
SUN Third Place Best Rate Card, 2000
CMA Best of Collegiate Design Fourth Place Feature Page, 2000
CMA Best of Collegiate Design Main Page Presentation for Online Newspapers, 2001
* ACP Best of Show, 2001
* ACP Pacemaker, 2002
SEJC Fifth Best Newspaper (tie), 2004
* ACP Pacemaker, 2003
* ACP Pacemaker, 2005
SEJC Third Best Newspaper, 2006
* ACP Pacemaker, 2006
* SEJC First Place Best Newspaper, 2008
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Four Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year, 2014
CMA Apple Award Second Place Best Newspaper Four Year School 5-10k Enrollment, 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Newspaper News Story for “The Red Zone: First-years most vulnerable to sexual assault” (Tyler Bishop), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Newspaper Sports Reporting for “Scarred star on the road to recovery” (Ben Weinrib), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Newspaper Photojournalist – Bosley Jarrett, 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Multimedia Journalist – Tyler Bishop, 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Ongoing Coverage for the Vanderbilt rape trial coverage (Tyler Bishop, Allie Gross), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Spot Coverage for “This is what democracy looks like” (Tyler Bishop, Bosley Jarrett, Allie Gross), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Multimedia Coverage for “Is 10 minutes enough” on walking across campus between classes (Maddie Hughes), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Specialized-Topic Reporting for “Plug Pulled on LOTL 2014” on campus concert coverage (Angelica Lasala), 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Sports Reporting for “Vanderbilt Baseball Looking back, looking ahead” (Patrick Givens), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place, Online Sports Program for VU Sports Wired (Allison Mast, Ben Weinrib), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place, Newspaper Investigative/In-depth Reporting for “Between brats and bigots” (Angelica Lasala, Aditi Naik), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place, News Graphic/Illustration for “Professors’ Picks” (Design Staff), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place, Online Investigative/In-depth Reporting for “Admin puts stricter regulations on ‘create your own major’ program” (Saara Asikainen), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place, Newspaper reporter (Allie Gross), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place, Specialized-Topic Reporting for “Fall into fitness” (Priyanka Aribindi, Matt Lieberson), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place, College Media Website for vanderbilthustler.com, 2015
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Best Newspaper Sports Page/Spread, 2015
ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist, 2015
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Four-Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Feature Story, 2016
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place College Media Website, 2016
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place College Photojournalist for “Vanderbilt Trap Shooting” (Ziyi Liu and Madeline Stewart), 2016
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “Hidden Dores Protest One Year Later” (Sam Zern and Zoe Shancer), 2016
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Specialized / Topic Reporting for “What Makes a Champion” (Josh Hamburger), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Newspaper Reporter (Sarah Friedman), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “Following Up on the Demand for Faculty Diversity” (Sarah Friedman and Zoe Shancer), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Multimedia Journalist for “Sexual Assault on Vanderbilt’s Campus: Policy, Procedures, and Progress” (Anna Butrico), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Multimedia Package for “Discovery Day” (Ziyi Liu, Bosley Jarrett and Muhammad Hafiz), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Sports Reporting for “The Anatomy of a Five Star Punter” (Max Herz), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place Specialized / Topic Reporting for “Anchor Down the Aisle” (Matt Lieberson), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention News Story for “Friends, Professors Reflect on Taylor Force’s Tragic Death” (Zoe Shancer and Matt Lieberson), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Sports Reporting for “A Football Life: Kyle Shurmur’s Journey From a Football Family to Vanderbilt Stardom” (Cutler Klein), 2017
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “Sexual Misdemeanor Charge Against Board of Trust Member Surfaces” (Sarah Friedman), 2017
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Sports Reporting for “From West Africa to West End: Ejike Obinna’s Remarkable Journey to Vanderbilt” (Simon Gibbs), 2017
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place College Media Website, 2017
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Specialized/Topic Reporting, 2017
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Ongoing Coverage for “DACA”, 2017
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Sports Reporting for “Man on the Move: Pat DeMarco’s Journey to Stardom at Vanderbilt” (Max Schneider), 2018
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Sports Reporting for “Commodores Clinching Omaha Turns Heartbreak into Heroism” (Max Schneider), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place Sports Reporting for “Harrison Smith’s Remarkable Flight to Prominence at Vanderbilt” (Simon Gibbs), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Graphics Design for “Vanderbilt Releases Results from 2019 Sexual Assault, Misconduct Survey” (Sam Zern), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place College Media Website, 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Newspaper Feature Story for “Take a Deep Dive into Music with Melodore Dillon Davey” (Andrew Kolondra), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Online Feature Story for “After 20 Years in the Air Force, David Grace Finds Home in Memorial” (Simon Gibbs), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Specialized / Topic Reporting for “How Vanderbilt Collects and Uses Data on Prospective Students” (Eva Durchholz), 2019
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “Track the Cash: Vanderbilt Students Pay to Print per Page While a Number of Peer Institutions Include Allocations for Printing Charges for all Students” (Rachel Friedman), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “How Vanderbilt Collects and Uses Data on Prospective Students” (Eva Durchholz), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “John Geer Responds to Concern Over his Work Consulting for the Defense of Tobacco Companies” (Caitlin David)
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Ongoing Coverage for “#MeTooStem Founder’s Departure from Vanderbilt” (Sam Zern), 2019
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Photojournalist (Emily Gonçalves), 2019
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Newspaper Reporter (Eva Durchholz), 2019
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS COLLEGE BEST OF SHOW Newspaper (Max Schneider), 2019
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Online Sports Section, 2020
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Breaking News Story, 2020
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Sports Columnist, 2021
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Sports Multimedia Story, 2021
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Best Online Sports Section , 2021
CMA Pinnacle Award Honorable Mention Best Editorial, 2021
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Online Sports Section, 2022
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Sports Columnist, 2022
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Breaking News Coverage (package), 2022
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Multimedia Breaking News Story, 2022
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Photo Illustration, 2022
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Investigative Story, 2022
*ACP Pacemaker Award First Place Blog, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Third Place Column, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Third Place Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Story Package, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Honorable Mention Multimedia News Story, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Honorable Mention Multimedia Sports Story, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Honorable Mention Editorial, 2022
vandy radio
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Radio Station of the Year, 2014
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Radio Newscast, 2014
CMA Apple Award Third Place Best Radio Promo, 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Best Sports Coverage, 2015
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Best Specialized/Topic Reporting, 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best Sports Reporting, 2015
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Best Radio Newscast, 2015
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Radio Sportscast, 2015
* CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Radio Special Event Coverage, 2015
* TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Best Radio Feature Story, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best Sports Reporting, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best Radio Specialized Reporting, 2016
* TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Radio Specialized/Topic Reporting for “Interview with Andrew Maraniss” (Alex Slawson and Chukwukpee Nzegwu), 2016
* TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Radio Sports Reporting for “Interview with Chris Jones of Nashville FC” (Cutler Klein), 2016
* TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Online Sports Coverage/Program for “Mason, Commodores Roll Into Independence Bowl with Swagger” (Cutler Klein), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Investigative/In-Depth Reporting for “Interview with Sara Starr” (Alex Slawson and Chukwukpee Nzegwu), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Sports Coverage/Program for “Vanderbilt Lacrosse vs Villanova” (Cutler Klein), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place Radio Feature Story for “Grinds Our Gears: Nutrition” (Josh LeBorious and Jason Eggold), 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention Radio News Story for “Active Minds Interview” (Alex Slawson and Chukwukpee Nzegwu), 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Four-Year Radio Station of the Year, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Podcast, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Best Radio Sportscast, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Special Event Coverage, 2017
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Sports Reporting for “Vandy Radio Interview with Vanderbilt Basketball Legend Shan Foster” (Cutler Klein), 2017
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Sports Coverage/Program for “Vanderbilt vs. UT Soccer Highlights” (Cutler Klein), 2017
*TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Radio Sports Reporting (Cutler Klein and Max Schneider), 2018
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Newscast ( Ryan Brown), 2018
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Radio Sports Reporting for “Sports 30”, 2019
CMA Pinnacle Award Honorable Mention Best Audio Sportscast, 2020
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Audio Sportscast, 2022
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Best Podcast, 2022
ACP Pacemaker Award Second Place Podcast, 2022
the vanderbilt review
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1996
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1997
* CSPA Gold Crown, 1998
ACP Best of Show Third Place, 2001
CSPA Gold Circle Second Place Overall Design with Color Magazine, 2004
CSPA Silver Crown, 2004
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Four-Year Literary Magazine of the Year, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Third Place Four-Year Literary Magazine of the Year, 2021
vanderbilt television/vanderbilt video productions
* ACP Pacemaker Video Yearbook, 1989
SEJC Best TV Reporter Third Place, 2005
SEJC Best TV Reporter Third Place, 2006
SEJC Best TV Reporter Fifth Place, 2009
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Best College TV Newscast, 2012
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention Best TV News Story, 2012
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best College TV Station, 2012
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best College TV Entertainment Program (Kitchenventions), 2012
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best Public Affairs Program (Points of VU), 2013
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best College TV Station, 2013
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best Viral Video (Scott on the Sidewalk), 2013
CMA Apple Award Second Place Best Entertainment Broadcast (The Scoop), 2014
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best Entertainment Program (The Scoop), 2014
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best TV Promo/PSA (This is SportsWired), 2014
CMA Pinnacle Award Finalist Best Viral Video (Walk-On Basketball Tryouts), 2014
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best Videographer (Scott Head), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention Best TV Feature Story (Dance Marathon), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention Best Sports Program (VU Sports Wired), 2015
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best Entertainment Program (Commodores Kitchen), 2015
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Honorable Mention Best TV Sports Program, 2016
* TN ASSOCIATED PRESS First Place Best TV Newscast, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place Best TV Feature Story, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Third Place Best Television Reporter, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place TV Sports Coverage/Program for “Any Given Tuesday: Bowl Game Edition”, 2016
CMA Pinnacle Award Second Place Best TV Entertainment Program, 2016
TN ASSOCIATED PRESS Second Place TV Sports Coverage/Program, 2017
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Viral Video (Vanderbeat), 2019
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Viral Video (Broadcast), 2020
*CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Viral Video (Online), 2020
CMA Pinnacle Award Honorable Mention Best Video Entertainment Program, 2021
versus
* SPJ Best All-Around Magazine, 1986
ACP All-American, 1986
CSPA First Place, 1986
* ACP Pacemaker, 1987
* SPJ Best All-Around Magazine, 1987
* SPJ Best All-Around Magazine, 1988
SPJ First Place Magazine, 1989
CSPA Silver Crown, 1996
* SEJC Best Magazine, 1996
* SEJC Best Magazine, 1999
CMA Best of Collegiate Design Third Place Magazine Cover Design, 2002
* SEJC Best Magazine, 2003
SEJC Second Best Newspaper, 2006
VUFinder
CMA Pinnacle Award First Place Best Viral Video, 2015
