Collegian Media Group set a program record with over 30 total awards this past weekend at the Fall National College Media Convention in Kansas City. Last year’s K-State Collegian editor-in-chief, Meredith McCalmon, earned the program’s first ever Associated Collegiate Press Reporter of the Year award winning 1st place overall.
In the College Media Association Pinnacle awards, CMG doubled the amount of 1st place winners from last conference, highlighted by the Kansas State Collegian earning three winners. The Collegian also earned a 2nd place overall finish in the Organizational Pinnacles for Best Media Website.
The news of the weekend came from the ACP Individual Awards, where K.C. native and former Collegian editor-in-chief Meredith McCalmon won the national contest for ACP Reporter of the Year. Several 2026 Royal Purple entries also placed Top 5 in Yearbook Cover and Yearbook Page categories.
The conference concluded Saturday with Best of Show Individual and Staff Recognition categories. First-year Collegian video editor Cole Brogden grabbed a 1st place win in Broadcast Feature Story. CMG creative members landed their highest award placing in program history with a 2nd place award for Media Kit. CMG also placed five of their six overall entries in Staff Recognition categories, highlighted by Top 5 finishes in Media Kit, Yearbook and Website categories.
For Brogden, winning the national award was secondary to getting to spend time outside the newsroom with his co-editors.
“I think the most important thing I learned was how valuable the relationships you build in journalism can be,” Brogden said. “The conference gave me a unique opportunity to grow closer to with my editors and staff. Building connections and friendships in your newsroom can be better than any award or recognition you earn. Getting closer to my colleagues reminded me that we are all working toward similar goals.”
Sophomore Royal Purple writer Naima Wilson attended several sessions at the conference that she believes will improve her writing skills for the staff and as a journalism major.
“I learned a lot about improving as a writer, specifically how to be more confident in my writing,” Wilson said. “It helps a lot to have professionals help you to practice and keep trying. I also learned about so many potential careers that I wouldn’t have thought of before which was really cool – it’s helping me figure out what I want to do post-grad.”
Director Spencer O’Daniel believes this was one of his favorite conferences in his 15 years advising high school and collegiate student media. He’s proud of the growth of all departments at CMG in the last year and a half of his time as director.
“I had to check the record book, but this appears to be the most total awards won at a fall conference by any group of collegiate journalists in Student Publications Inc. or Collegian Media Group history,” director Spencer O’Daniel said. “You’re in a great place when you see all departments and publications rapidly improving together and winning national awards against the best in the country. It’s just an honor to watch CMG move forward so quickly and it feels that we have put the right student leaders in positions to succeed, in addition to a professional staff that continually pushes our students to grow our publications and departments.”
The full list of awards for Collegian Media Group can be found below.
National College Media Convention – Best of Show Awards
1st Place – Broadcast Feature Story – Cole Brogden
2nd Place – Media Kit – Collegian Media Group
4th Place – Yearbook Design – Haylee Haslett, Payton Lee
4th Place – Yearbook – Royal Purple
4th Place – Yearbook – Royal Purple
5th Place – Sports Story – Greta Klein
5th Place – Website – Kansas State Collegian
6th Place – Newspaper – Kansas State Collegian
8th Place – Sports Story – Paige Mueller
8th Place – Feature Magazine – Manhappenin’ Magazine
8th Place – Yearbook Design – Madison Coulter, Demelia Funk
Associated Collegiate Press – Individual Awards Finalists
1st Place – Four-Year Journalist of the Year – Meredith McCalmon
4th Place – Breaking News Story – Meredith McCalmon
4th Place – Yearbook Cover – Kendra Kemp
4th Place – Yearbook Page – Madison Coulter, Zara Thomas
5th Place – Photo Slideshow – Cassidy Friend, Grace Parks, Adi Stulsatz
Honorable Mention – Local Climate Change Reporting – Kyra Case, Jenna Fiscus
Honorable Mention – Multimedia News Story – Emma Baldwin, Amylee Gil, Emma Lazarczyk, Erica Merz
Honorable Mention – Yearbook Page – Haylee Haslett
College Media Association – Pinnacle Awards finalists
1st Place – Audio Advertisement – The Collegian – Declan Phipps
1st Place – Portrait – The Collegian – Payton Lee
1st Place – Print Advertisement – The Collegian – Rachel Silhan
1st Place – Yearbook Spread – Madison Coulter, Jenna Fiscus
2nd Place – Media Website of the Year – K-State Collegian
2nd Place – Yearbook of the Year – The Royal Purple
3rd Place – Ad Campaign – The Collegian – Rachel Silhan
3rd Place – Yearbook Division Page – Demelia Funk, Narissa Hampton
3rd Place – Infographic – Royal Purple Yearbook – Isabelle Mullinax
Honorable Mention – Weekly Newspaper of the Year – K-State Collegian
Honorable Mention – Magazine Cover – Manhappenin’ Magazine – Kamryn Fleisher, Erin Reil
Honorable Mention Sports Column – The Collegian – Stalee Fields
Honorable Mention – Yearbook Cover – Kendra Kemp
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