
2016 Pinnacle Award Winners
Congratulations to all the winners of the 2015-2016 Pinnacle Awards. See the results below!
Organizational Pinnacle Winners
Best College Media Outlet of the Year
Four-Year Best College Media Outlet of the Year
• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Third Place: The Oklahoma Daily, University of Oklahoma
Two-Year Best College Media Outlet of the Year
• First Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
• Third Place: Crowder Sentry, Crowder College
Broadcast Pinnacles
Four-Year Radio Station of the Year
• First Place: WWVU-FM (U-92), West Virginia University
• Second Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University
• Third Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University
Four-Year TV Station of the Year
• First Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College
• Second Place: Elon Local News, Elon University
• Third Place: ROAR Studios, Loyola Marymount University
• Honorable Mention: SGTV, University of South Carolina
Two-Year Radio Station of the Year
• First Place: KKSM, Palomar College
• Second Place: MyTJCNews, Tyler Junior College
• Third Place: KDUX Web Radio, Richland College
Two-Year TV Station of the Year
• First Place: Owl Magazine, Harford Community College
• Second Place: The Hawk Media Club, Hillsborough Community College
• Third Place: Apache Pow Wow, Tyler Junior College
Feature Magazine Pinnacles
Four-Year Feature Magazine of the Year
• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University
• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Third Place: The Annual, Drake University
Two-Year Feature Magazine of the Year
• First Place: El Sol Magazine, Southwestern College
• Second Place: Pacific Rim Magazine, Langara College
• Third Place: The Current, Amarillo College
Literary Magazine Pinnacles
Four-Year Literary Magazine of the Year
• First Place: FLARE: The Flagler Review, Flagler College
• Second Place: The Peel Literature & Arts Review, Appalachian State University
• Third Place: The Vanderbilt Review, Vanderbilt University
Two-Year Literary Magazine of the Year
• First Place: Amaranth, Anne Arundel Community College
• Second Place: The Traveler, Glendale Community College
• Third Place: Miambiance, Miami Dade College Kendall Campus
Newspaper Pinnacles
Four-Year Daily newspaper of the Year
• First Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University
• Second Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Third Place: The Daily Northwestern, Northwestern University
• Honorable Mention: Daily Bruin, UCLA
Four-Year Less-Than-Weekly Newspaper of the Year
• First Place: The Eagle, American University
• Second Place: The Xavier Herald, Xavier University of Louisiana
• Third Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Four-Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year
• First Place: The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
• Second Place: Ka Leo O Hawaii, University of Hawaii at Manoa
• Third Place: Central Michigan Life, Central Michigan University
Two-Year Less-Than-Weekly Newspaper of the Year
• First Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
• Second Place: The Sentinel, North Idaho College
• Third Place: el Don, Santa Ana College
Two-Year Weekly Newspaper of the Year
• First Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College
• Second Place: The Voice, Langara College
• Third Place: Richland Chronicle, Richland College
Online Pinnacles
Four-Year Mobile App/Plug-In of the Year
• First Place: Baylorlariat.com, Baylor University
• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
• Third Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Four-Year Website of the Year
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: District, Savannah College of Art and Design
• Third Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University
Two-Year Mobile App/Plug-In of the Year
• Honorable Mention: The Hawk Media Club, Hillsborough Community College
Two-Year Website of the Year
• First Place: Pacific Rim Magazine, Langara College
• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Third Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College
Yearbook Pinnacles
Four-Year Yearbook of the Year
• First Place: The Campanile, Rice University
• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University
• Third Place: La Ventana, Texas Tech University
Individual Pinnacle Award Winners
Advertising Pinnacles
Best Ad Campaign
• First Place: Marquette+Living, Marquette University
• Second Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Third Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
Best Ad Supplement/Special Section
• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Third Place: The Et Cetera, Eastfield College
• Honorable Mention: The Southwestern College, Southwestern College
Best Display Ad
• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Second Place: Arches, Mount Mary University
• Third Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso
Best House Ad
• First Place: Marquette+Living, Marquette University
• Second Place: Bonfire, Grand View University
• Third Place: The Xavier Herald, xulaherald.com, Xavier University of Louisiana
Best Multimedia Campaign
• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Third Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
Best Online Ad
• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Second Place: The University Daily Kansan, The University Daily Kansan
• Third Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso
Best Rate Card/Media Kit
• First Place: The Standard, Missouri State University
• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
• Third Place: Marquette University Student Media, 2015-2016 Media Kit, Marquette University
Best Social Media Strategy
• First Place: The Legacy/Lindenlink, Lindenwood University
• Second Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Third Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University
• Honorable Mention: EMERGE Magazine, Conference and Media Awards, University of Guelph-Humber
Broadcast Pinnacles
Best Television Newscast
• First Place: 2nd Year Broadcasting Television/ Journalism Newscast, Mohawk College
• Second Place: TV2 News: Feb. 16, 2016, Kent State University
• Third Place: Elon Local News 11/9/2015, Elon University
Best Podcast
• First Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University
• Second Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University
• Third Place: 2015 Conference USA Halloween Spooktacular 5 (WMUL-FM), Marshall University
Best Radio Newscast
• First Place: KTSW-FM 89.9, Texas State University
• Second Place: WSUM Madison Student Radio, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• Third Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University
• Honorable Mention: KKSM News April 1, 2016, Palomar College
Best Radio Promo/PSA
• First Place: WZIS-FM, Indiana State University
• Second Place: 2015 Fountain Ceremony Promo (WMUL-FM), Marshall University
• Third Place: KTSW-FM 89.9, Texas State University
Best Radio Special Event Coverage
• First Place: WKNC-FM, North Carolina State University
• Second Place: Community Feedback: Bernie Sanders Campaign Rally, West Virginia University
• Third Place: KzLX-LP, Northwest Missouri State University
Best Radio Sportscast
• First Place: WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University
• Second Place: KBVU 97.5 The Edge, Buena Vista University
• Third Place: VandyRadio, Vanderbilt University
Best Radio Talk/Entertainment Program
• First Place: WHSN’s Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales of Mystery & Imagination 2015, New England School of Communications at Husson University
• Second Place: Moose In The Morning, West Virginia University
• Third Place: WZIS-FM, Indiana State University
Best Television Sportscast
• First Place: Q30 Television, Quinnipiac University
• Second Place: WSOU-FM, Seton Hall University
• Third Place: Husky Mag, St. Cloud State University
• Honorable Mention: Mustang News, Cal Poly
Best TV Entertainment Program
• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Second Place: Vanderbilt Television, Vanderbilt University
• Third Place: ELN Morning 4/14/2016, Elon University
Best TV Promo/PSA
• First Place: Griffon Update, Missouri Western State University
• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Third Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College
Best TV Special Event Coverage
• First Place: TV2 Election Show: Ohio Primary, Kent State University
• Second Place: 1st Year “International Women’s Day Special Presentation”, Mohawk College
• Third Place: KNWT Student Television, Northwest Missouri State University
Best Viral Video
• First Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Second Place: Viking Fusion, Berry College
• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
Design Pinnacles (includes Best of Collegiate Design Pinnacles)
Best Editorial Illustration
• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Second Place: The Kent Stater, Kent State University
• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas
• Honorable Mention: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin
Best Advertisement
• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Second Place: Arches, Mount Mary University
• Third Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Best Comic Strip
• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Second Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin
• Third Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
Best Editorial Cartoon
• First Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Second Place: The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University
• Third Place: Northwest Missourian, Northwest Missouri State University
• Honorable Mention:The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso
Best Infographic
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: The Pioneer, California State University, East Bay
• Third Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Best Magazine Contents Page/Spread
• First Place: Pursuit Magazine, California Baptist University
• Second Place: Alice Magazine, The University of Alabama
• Third Place: 34th Street Magazine, University of Pennsylvania
Best Magazine Cover
• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University
• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Third Place: Reflector, Georgia Southern University
Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread
• First Place: Stephens Life, Stephens College
• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
• Third Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
Best Magazine Feature Page/Spread
• First Place: Bonfire, Grand View University
• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Third Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
Best Magazine News Page/Spread
• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Second Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
• Third Place: Spinnaker, University of North Florida
• Honorable Mention: Stephens Life, Stephens College
• Honorable Mention: Minero Magazine, The University of Texas at El Paso
Best Magazine Sports Page/Spread
• First Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University
• Third Place: Bonfire, Grand View University
Best Newspaper Entertainment Page/Spread
• First Place: F Newsmagazine, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
• Second Place: Second Place: The Oakland Post – Bill Nye the Science Guy, Oakland University
• Third Place: The Advocate, Contra Costa College
Best Newspaper Feature Page/Spread
• First Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin
• Second Place: The Pendulum, Elon University
• Third Place: The Signal, Georgia State University
Best Newspaper Front Page
• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Second Place: Northwest Missourian, Northwest Missouri State University
• Third Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
• Honorable Mention: Technician, NC State University
• Honorable Mention: Loquitur, Cabrini College
Best Newspaper Nameplate
• First Place: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso
• Second Place: The Flor-Ala, University of North Alabama
• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas
Best Newspaper News Page/Spread
• First Place: The Pendulum, Elon University
• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
• Third Place: The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University
Best Newspaper Opinion Page/Spread
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: The Maroon, Loyola University New Orleans
• Third Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas
Best Newspaper Photo Page/Spread
• First Place: The Pendulum, Elon University
• Second Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Third Place: Kansas State Collegian, Kansas State University
Best Newspaper Sports Page/Spread
• First Place: The Daily Universe, BYU
• Second Place: The All State, Austin Peay State University
• Third Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University
Best Online Infographic
• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Second Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
• Third Place: RMU Sentry Media, Robert Morris University
Best Online Main Page
• First Place: The Mercury, University of Texas at Dallas
• Second Place: Mosaic Magazine, The University of Alabama
• Third Place: Urban Plains, Drake University
Best Social Media Main Page
• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Second Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Third Place: Student Niner Media, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Best Special Section Cover
• First Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University
• Second Place: Ke Alaka’i, BYU-Hawaii
• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
Best Yearbook Cover
• First Place: The Campanile, Rice University
• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University
• Third Place: La Ventana, Texas Tech University
Best Yearbook Division Page/Spread
• First Place: Angelos Yearbook, California Baptist University
• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University
• Third Place: Ibis Yearbook, Univeristy of Miami
Best Yearbook Entertainment Page/Spread
• First Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University
• Second Place:Spinnaker, University of North Florida
• Third Place: Ibis Yearbook, Univeristy of Miami
• Honorable Mention: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University
• Honorabe Mention: The Campanile, Rice University
Best Yearbook Feature Page/Spread
• First Place: Warbler, Eastern Illinois University
• Second Place: Roundup, Baylor University
• Third Place: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University
• Honorable Mention: Ibis Yearbook, University of Miami
Best Yearbook News Page/Spread
• First Place: Ibis Yearbook, University of Miami
• Second Place: The Campanile, Rice University
• Third Place: The Tower, Loyola Marymount University
• Honorable Mention: Angelos Yearbook, California Baptist University
Best Yearbook Sports Page/Spread
• First Place: Roundup, Baylor University
• Second Place: Agromeck, NC State University
• Third Place: Tower, Northwest Missouri State University
Online Pinnacles
Best Multimedia News Story
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: Urban Plains, Drake University
• Third Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University
Best Audio Slideshow
• First Place: The Baylor Lariat, Baylor University
• Second Place: The Horizon, Indiana University Southeast
• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
Best Breaking News Coverage
• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Second Place: The Collegian, Tarrant County College
• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
Best Multimedia Feature Story
• First Place: The Daily Universe, BYU
• Second Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington
• Third Place: Daily Texan, University of Texas at Austin
Best Podcast
• First Place: Urban Plains, Drake University
• Second Place: Radio DePaul, DePaul University
• Third Place: Mochila Review, Missouri Western State University
Best Social Media Presence
• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, The University of Pennsylvania
• Second Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
• Third Place: The Rocky Mountain Collegian, Colorado State University
Best Viral Video
• First Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Second Place: Ke Alaka’i, BYU-Hawaii
• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
Photo Pinnacles
Best Breaking News Photo
• First Place: The Breeze, James Madison University
• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Third Place: el Don, Santa Ana College
Best Feature Photo
• First Place: Agromeck, NC State University
• Second Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
• Third Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington
Best General News Photo
• First Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
• Second Place: The All State, Austin Peay State University
• Third Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
Best Photo Illustration
• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
• Second Place: The Pioneer, California State University, East Bay
• Third Place: The Santa Clara, Santa Clara University
• Honorable Mention: Pursuit Magazine, California Baptist University
Best Photo Package
• First Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University
• Second Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
• Third Place: SCAN Magazine, SCAD Atlanta
Best Portrait
• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University
• Second Place: Distraction Magazine, University of Miami
• Third Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Honorable Mention: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington
• Honorable Mention: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach
Best Sports Feature Photo
• First Place: The Shorthorn, UT Arlington
• Second Place: Kansas State Collegian, Kansas State University
• Third Place: Talisman, Western Kentucky University
Best Sports News Photo
• Second Place: The Daily Toreador, Texas Tech University
• First Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
• Third Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
Sports Pinnacles
Best Online Sports Section
• First Place: Arizona Daily Wildcat, University of Arizona
• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Third Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
Best Sports Columnist
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University
• Third Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University
Best Sports Feature
• First Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Second Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
• Third Place: The Spectrum, University at Buffalo
Best Sports Game Story
• First Place: The University Daily Kansan, The University Daily Kansan
• Second Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
• Third Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University
Best Sports Investigative Story
• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Second Place: TCU 360, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: The Flat Hat, College of William and Mary
Best Sports Multimedia Story
• First Place: EMERGE Magazine, University of Guelph-Humber
• Second Place: Image Magazine, Texas Christian University
• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
• Honorable Mention: The Prospector, The University of Texas at El Paso
Best Sports Section
• First Place: The Daily Pennsylvanian, University of Pennsylvania
• Second Place: The Battalion, Texas A&M University
• Third Place: The Appalachian, Appalachian State University
• Honorable Mention: The Hullabaloo, Tulane University
Writing Pinnacles
Best Arts and Entertainment Story
• First Place: The Santa Clara, Santa Clara University
• Second Place: 34th Street Magazine, University of Pennsylvania
• Third Place: The Southwestern College Sun, Southwestern College
• Honorable Mention: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Honorable Mention: RMU Sentry Media, Robert Morris University
Best Breaking News Story
• First Place: Iowa State Daily, Iowa State University
• Second Place: el Don, Santa Ana College
• Third Place: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach
• Honorable Mention: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
Best Column
• First Place: The Daily Collegian, Penn State University
• Second Place: The Corsair, Santa Monica College
• Third Place: The Baker Orange, Baker University
Best Editorial
• First Place: Ball Bearings Magazine, Ball State University
• Second Place: The Miami Hurricane, University of Miami
• Third Place: College Heights Herald, Western Kentucky University
Best Feature Story
• First Place: The Miami Student, Miami University
• Second Place: The Vanderbilt Hustler, Vanderbilt University
• Third Place: Golden Gate Xpress, San Francisco State University
Best General News Story
• First Place: Drake Magazine, Drake University
• Second Place: Urban Plains, Drake University
• Third Place: Mustang News, Cal Poly
Best Investigative Story
• First Place: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach
• Second Place: The DePaulia, DePaul University
• Third Place: Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University
Best News Package
• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Second Place: Daily Bruin, UCLA
• Third Place: KentWired, Kent State University
• Honorable Mention: Daily 49er, California State University, Long Beach
• Honorable Mention: The Northerner, Northern Kentucky University
Best Profile
• First Place: Urban Plains, Drake University
• Second Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Third Place: The Spectrum, University at Buffalo
• Honorable Mention: Mustang News, Cal Poly
Best Special Section
• First Place: The Ball State Daily News, Ball State University
• Second Place: Arizona Daily Wildcat, University of Arizona
• Third Place: Los Angeles Loyolan, Loyola Marymount University