2023 Student Awards Winners
Cronkite students have won more awards than any other school in the nation. Please take a look at our 2023 winners below.
Broadcast Education Association (BEA)
Top overall school
Top news programs
Top sports programs
Broadcast Education Association’s (BEA) Festival of Media Arts
Best of Festival – Radio Hard News Reporting
Switch Lab – Autriya Maneshni
Best of Festival Television – Newscast (4/5 days per week)
Cronkite News November 28, 2022 – Haley Ziomek, Andrew Onodera, Holly Santman & Conor Bonfiglio
Short-Form Documentary
Third place (Tie): Forgotten Children of Mother Magma; Katerina Barushka, Pacey Smith-Garcia, Blessing Jona & Chase Drumgoole
Radio Feature Reporting
Second place: Election Translation – Autriya Maneshni
Third place: Black Farmers – Athena Ankrah
Radio Hard News Reporting
First place: Switch Lab – Autriya Maneshni
Radio Newscast
First place: Why they’re thankful: Thanksgiving voices from the Valley – Autriya Maneshni & Emily Mai
Television Hard News
Award of Excellence: Randolph Wins – Faith Abercrombie
Television News Anchor
Award of Excellence: Ethan Ryter Anchor Cronkite News and Sports – Ethan Ryter
Television Weathercaster
Third place (Tie): Payton Major Fall 2022 Weather Reel – Payton Major
Award of Excellence: Sara Blue Weather Reel 2022 – Sara Blue
Television Newscast (4/5 days per week)
First place: Cronkite News November 28, 2022 – Haley Ziomek, Andrew Onodera, Holly Santman & Conor Bonfiglio
TV News Magazine
Award of Excellence: Cronkite Sports Report Season 14, Episode 4 – Ike Everard
Video Sports Story/Feature (short)
Awards of Excellence: Cardinals in Mexico City – Liam Barrett
Awards of Excellence: Stephens Journey to Football – Ryan Blank
Video Sports Story/Feature (long)
Award of Excellence: A Second Chance at Life – Zachary Larsen
Video Sports News Program
First place: Cronkite Sports Live – Nick Borgia, Trey Jordan, Peyton Gallaher & Jake Seymour
Second place (tie): Cronkite Sports Report Season 15, Episode 1 – Holly Santman
Esports Coverage
Second place: Brophy Esports Team – Tyler Bender
Graduate Student Audio Competition
First place: Boys and Girls Club Mental Health Help – Natalie Skowlund
Second place: Healing Through Culture – Natalie Skowlund
Graduate Student Film & Video Competition
First place (Tie): Hushabye Nursery; Laura Bargfeld
Second place: Hunter Pinke Returns to the Court – Nikki Pica
Third place: Indigenous Rodeo – Mikenzie Hammel
Award of Excellence: 3rd Largest Country – Tasneem Amro, Rachel Antidormi, Melanie Chen, James Cobb & Kelsey Ouellette
Award of Excellence: Indigenous Language – Alexia Stanbridge
Award of Excellence: Soldier DNA – Mikenzie Hammel
Graduate Student Interactive Multimedia and Emerging Technologies Competition
Third Place: Gaslit – Interactive Map – Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Graduate Student On-Air Talent Competition
First Place: Lauren Green Anchor/Reporter – Lauren Green
Second Place: Geraldine Torrellas Cronkite News Anchor 2022 – Geraldine Torrellas
Third Place: Edison LaCour Cronkite News – Edison LaCour
Crowder Awards
Greg Crowder Memorial Photojournalism Award
First Place: Samantha Chow
Second Place: Susan Wong
Third Place: John Leos
dotCOMM Awards
Digital Marketing & Communication Campaigns
“Arizona Foundation for Women – Moonlight Masquerade Soirée Social Media Campaign” —Cronkite Agency
Video Student Production
“Robert Wood Johnson Foundation – Every Little Step Counts” – Cronkite Agency
Editor & Publisher EPPY Awards
Best college/university-produced community or Niche Website
“America After Roe” – Carnegie-Knight News21
Best college/university investigative/documentary
“America After Roe” – Carnegie-Knight News21
Best news story on a college/university website
“America After Roe” – Carnegie-Knight News21
Best community service project/reporting (Fewer than 1 million unique visitors)
“In the Sheriff We Trust” – Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Best investigative/ enterprise video (Fewer than 1 million unique visitors)
“In the Sheriff We Trust” – Howard Center for Investigative Journalism
Best college/university sports section/website
Cronkite News/Sports
Hearst Awards
Multimedia Narrative Storytelling
“Crisis in Tapachula” – Drake Presto
Sports Writing
“Fields of dreams: How farming and football helped Eloy harvest NFL talent” – Andrew Lwowski
LA Press Club
Best Sports Writing — Print or Online
“Rollettes wheelchair dance team empowers women with disabilities.” – Aayush Gupta
“The Valley’s Last Camaro” – Andrew Warren and Tim Moore
Best Sports Writing
Second place: “Olympic gold medalist Sydney Leroux redefines soccer moms across pro sports.” – Vic Samuels
Best Featured Writing – Off Campus
“Wildfire restoration efforts bring back native plants and wildlife” – Lauren Lively
Best News Writing – Off Campus
“Trash talk: Los Angeles is losing its battle with litter, and neighborhoods are stepping up” – Fernanda Galan Martinez
National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences – Student Production Awards
College Video Essay
“Hunter Pinke” – Nikki Pica, videographer
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College Non-fiction — Short Form
“A Wall Runs Through It”
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Trice Estrada Olvera, director / photographer / editor
Makepeace Sitlhou, director / producer / writer
Hakob Karapetyan, director / photographer / editor
College Public Affairs/Community Service
“Infant Mortality” – Alyssa Muñoz, multimedia journalist
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College Arts/Entertainment/Cultural Affairs
“Diamondbacks Musical Maestro” – Michael Donohue, multimedia journalist
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College Sports Story or Segment
“The Anthony Robles Story” – Noelle Blumel, photographer / editor / writer
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College Sports Program
“Cronkite Sports Live”
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Nicholas Borgia, executive producer
Jimmye Jordan, technical director / graphics
Peyton Gallaher, senior producer
Sammy Miller, anchor
Jake Seymour, associate producer
College Talent — News or Sports
Best of Noelle Blumel – Noelle Blumel, talent
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
College Writer
“King of the Ring” – Jacob Flores, writer
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication
Radio Television Digital News Association Murrow Awards
Audio Feature Reporting
“Black Farmers Concerned About New Loan Program” – Athena Ankrah
Society of Professional Journalists – Mark of Excellence (National)
Breaking News Reporting (Large)
“Arizona officials decry, delight in Supreme Court ending abortion rights” – Neetish Basnet
In-Depth Reporting (Large)
“‘I’m tired’: Teachers face mental health crisis due to low pay, pandemic stress, scant support” – Cami Parrish
Photo Essay/Slideshow
“Migrants languish in Mexico’s chaotic immigration system,” by Taylor Bayly, Cronkite Borderlands Project, Arizona State University
Radio Feature: “Election translation,” by Autriya Maneshni, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Sports Photography: “ASU gymnastics home win” by Jason White, The State Press, Arizona State University
Region 11 Mark of Excellence Awards Winners
Breaking News Reporting (Large): “Arizona officials decry, delight in Supreme Court ending abortion rights,” by Neetish Basnet, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
In-Depth Reporting (Large): “‘I’m tired’: Teachers face mental health crisis due to low pay, pandemic stress, scant support,” by Cami Parrish, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Sports Writing (Large): “‘It’s gotta be the shoes’: Why are Scottsdale nightclubs prohibiting retro sneakers?” by Kevin Redfern, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
General News Photography: “Renaissance festival returns,” by Troy Hill, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Photo Essay/Slideshow: “Migrants languish in Mexico’s chaotic immigration system,” by Taylor Bayly, Cronkite Borderlands Project, Arizona State University
Sports Photography: “ASU gymnastics home win” by Jason White, The State Press, Arizona State University
News Videography: “St. Louis police association expands, holds collective bargaining union to task,” by Tirzah Christopher, Gabriela Tumani, News21, Arizona State University
Feature Videography: “Lives in limbo: How the Mexican government has failed to solve the migrant crisis in Tapachula,” by Drake Presto, Cronkite borderlands project, Arizona State University
Sports Videography: “Diamondbacks musical maestro,” by Michael Donohue, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Data Visualization: “Gaslit,” by Howard Center for Investigative Journalism staff, Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, Arizona State University
Radio News Reporting: “Black farmers,” by Athena Ankrah, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Radio Feature: “Election translation,” by Autriya Maneshni, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Podcast (Narrative): “All I Can Do Is Wait,” by Athena Ankrah, Cronkite Borderlands Project, Arizona State University
Television General News Reporting: “Indigenous rodeo,” by Mikenzie Hammel, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Television Sports Reporting: “A second chance at life,” by Zachary Larsen, Bally’s Sports Arizona, Arizona State University
Best All-Around Television News Magazine: “Cronkite Sports Report,” by Staff, Bally’s Sports Arizona, Arizona State University
Arts/Entertainment/Fashion Journalism: “Artists hope Black History Month mural project ‘educates, inspires, uplifts,’” by Hope O’Brien, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Finalists
Breaking News Reporting (Large): “Judge rejects GOP request to extend voting hours after tabulation issues in Maricopa County,” by Cronkite News staff, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Breaking News Reporting (Large): “See updates from Arizona voters and polling locations on Election Day,” by Cronkite News staff, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
General News Reporting (Large): “Herm Edwards buyout,” by Piper Hansen, The State Press, Arizona State University
In-Depth Reporting (Large): “‘Wounded healers’: Advocates spotlight hidden struggles of young caregivers,” by Adriana Gonzalez-Chavez, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
In-Depth Reporting (Large): “Crow-Downtown gentrification,” by Alexis Moulton, Jamie Montoya, The State Press, Arizona State University
Feature Writing (Large): “Life masks’ created to keep stories of the Holocaust alive,” by Samantha Chow, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Editorial/Opinion Writing: Columns by Aaron Stigile, The State Press, Arizona State University
Best Independent Online Student Publication: The State Press by The State Press staff, The State Press, Arizona State University
Breaking News Photography: “Arizona officials decry, delight in Supreme Court ending abortion rights,” by Neetish Basnet, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Photo Essay/Slideshow: “‘Would he be forgotten?’ How a niece’s crusade and military scientists led to ID of Korean War vet,” by Samantha Chow, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Photo Illustration: “Gender-inclusive housing,” by Alex Gould, The State Press, Arizona State University
Best Use of Multimedia: “Gaslit,” by Staff of the Howard Center for Investigative Reporting Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, Arizona State University
News Videography: “Healing through culture: Increasing access to Native American practices to treat mental health,” by Laura Bargfeld, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Sports Videography: “King of the ring,” by Jacob Flores, Bally’s Sports Arizona, Arizona State University
Data Visualization: “A city of migrants under a state of siege,” by Alyssa Marksz, Cronkite Borderlands Project, Arizona State University
Radio Feature: “Healing through culture,” by Natalie Skowlund, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Podcast (Narrative): “State Press Play,” by Kirsten Dorman, The State Press, Arizona State University
Television General News Reporting: “Eating disorders increase,” by Faith Abercrombie, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Television General News Reporting: “Help for firefighters,” by Sydney Witte, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Television Feature Reporting: “Ride to the polls,” by Caroleina Hassett, Cronkite News, Arizona State University
Television Sports Reporting: “Persevering through pain,” by Marlee Zanna Thompson, Bally’s Sports Arizona, Arizona State University
Best All-Around Television Newscast: Cronkite News by Cronkite News staff, AZPBS, Arizona State University
Society of Environmental Journalists
Outstanding Student Reporting
First place: “Gaslit” – The Howard Center for Investigative Reporting Howard Center for Investigative Journalism, Arizona State University
Society of Professional Journalists – Washington D.C. Chapter
Correspondent Award
Reagan Priest
South by Southwest (SXSW)
Special Jury Award
Virtual reality experience documenting the lives of transgender people – Cameron Kostopoulos