Recently, John Carroll University's student media strengthened its national reputation with 12 College Media Association Pinnacle Award nominations.
These accolades, which honor the best college media organizations and individual work across the country, build on Blue Streak Media’s continued track record of success.
The 12 nominations include:
Radio Station of the Year (under 10,000 students): WJCU 88.7 FM
Best Breaking News Story (under 3,000 students): Laken Kincaid '24, Joesph Wiethorn '24, Evan Richwalsky '24, The Carroll News: John Carroll evaluating legal options in zoning battle with Shaker Heights
Best Breaking News Coverage of Diversity (under 3,000 students): Laken Kincaid '24, Tate Farinacci, Amelia Marlow, The Carroll News: Petition garners national attention to stop JCU drag show
Best Game Story (under 3,000 students): Ellie Robertson '24, The Carroll News, Men's basketball holds on for historic OAC championship
Best Audio Newscast (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges): Laken Kincaid '24, WJCU/The Carroll News, Heights Now: JCU responds to Cleveland Diocese's controversial statement on sexual identity and gender
Best Audio Promo/PSA (all schools): Laken Kincaid '24 and Evan Richwalsky '24, WJCU, From the Bench Promo
Best Audio Sportscast (under 10,000 students): Jake Vulinec, Bobby Gerome, Evan Richwalsky '24, WJCU, JCU Football vs. UW-Whitewater 9/2/23
Best Audio Entertainment Program (all schools): Zachary Sinutko '24, Emily Davala '24, Jayden Beddingfield, WJCU, 808s and Mixtapes
Best Podcast (under 3,000 students): Tate Farinacci and Evan Richwalsky '24, The Carroll News, Beyond the Quad - Understanding and Improving Relationships
Best Video Entertainment Program (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges) Lydia Bennett, Jenna Kieley, Ray Weisberg, JCU Studios, The Last Assignment
Best Video Promo/PSA (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges) Jenna Kieley, Blue Streak Media, Day of Giving Promo
Best Social Media Engagement (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges) Emily Davala '24 and Aliyah Shamatta '24, WJCU Instagram
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This is the first time in recent years that JCU studios work has been nominated for a national award and the first time work produced by Blue Streak Media for a university partner has received the same recognition.
Since 2022, WJCU has received over 45 national award nominations, winning eight first-place honors. In 2024, it was named Best College Radio Station (under 10,000 students) by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System. You can find the full list of awards at WJCU.org/awards.
During the 2023-24 school year, The Carroll News earned 16 nominations for state, regional, or national awards, and won 10 Best of SNO awards. The complete list is available at https://carrollnews.org/about/awards/.
The award winners will be announced as part of the College Media Association/Associated College Press National College Media Convention, which will be held October 30-November 2 in New Orleans.
Carroll News and WJCU Nominated for Additional Regional and National Awards
In addition to the impressive amount of College Media Association award nominations, the Carroll News and WJCU received even more state, regional and national recognition.
The Carroll News was nominated for 16 state, regional, or national awards in the 2023-24 school year and was also the recipient of 10 Best of SNO awards. A full list is available at https://carrollnews.org/about/awards/
One of these awards went to Kate Ferenchak, who received second place honors in the Best College Opinion Writing Category of the Society of Professional Journalists Ohio’s Best Journalism Contest for her piece titled, “DEAD! The scariest chord ever put to score.” A full list of The Carroll News’ state, regional, and national awards and honors from the 2023-24 school year can be found at carrollnews.org/about/awards/.
WJCU students were nominated for three awards in the College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards. These include:
Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Jayden Beddingfield: 808s and Mixtapes
Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky: From the Bench
Best Promo: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky: From the Bench Promo
The winners of these awards will be announced on October 26 as part of the CBI National Student Media Convention in Seattle. This is WJCU's strongest showing ever in the CBI awards in terms of number of nominations. These nominations also bring WJCU to a total of 50 national and international award nominations since 2022. A full list can be found at WJCU.org/awards.