From left to right: el Don editors Ryla Manalang, Geovanni Esparza, Brandon Rowley, Talan Garcia, Assistant Professor Ajay Orona, and Art/Photo Co-Chair Jacqueline Schlossman (Photo courtesy of el Don)
(Santa Ana, CA) – Santa Ana College journalism students took home over 40 awards from the National College Media Convention held in New Orleans, Louisiana, earning recognition for their work at el Don, Santa Ana College's student-run news organization that has been in circulation for over 100 years. The
Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) Pacemaker awards and the
College Media Advisers (CMA) Pinnacle Awards were both presented at the conference which was held from Oct. 30- Nov. 2, 2024.
“I am proud to see our students recognized on a national level for their commitment to excellence in journalism across so many platforms," said Department Chair and Associate Professor of Journalism & Media Studies Sarah Bennett. “Each award win represents hours of hard work and late nights by students working individually and as a team to apply fundamental digital media skills that keep their community informed."
The ACP National Pacemaker Award, presented annually since 1921, is considered the Pulitzer Prize of collegiate journalism. The Pacemaker Award recognizes overall excellence and distinguishes the top student media produced during a particular school year and is the most prestigious academic honor bestowed upon college media in North America.
The
CMA which serves as the voice of collegiate media and its advisors founded the Pinnacle Awards to honor the best college media organizations and individual work among over 600 members from coast to coast.
Photo courtesy of el Don
“Traveling to New Orleans to represent el Don and SAC was an honor," said el Don News Editor and SAC student Geovanni Esparza. “It was incredible to hear our program mentioned alongside major four-year universities. It felt like all the hard work and dedication to keeping the community informed had paid off."
The 2023-2024 el Don staff received their 31st consecutive
Newspaper Pacemaker Award and was one of only two community colleges in the country to receive a
Multiplatform Pacemaker award, an honor given to the “best of the best" across digital and print platforms.
“Each semester, el Don editors and staff members commit to producing excellent journalism across an array of genres and platforms," said Jacqueline Schlossman, Co-Chair of the Art and Photo Department. “Their hard work, willingness to learn, and dedication to the craft allow them to compete at the national level against journalism students at top-tier four-year institutions."
The Santa Ana College journalism students took home a combined
34 Pinnacles awards, including 6 first place recognitions, 10 second place awards, 13 third place awards and eight honorable mentions.
“To see us win so many Pacemakers, ACP and Pinnacle awards was impressive but not surprising," added el Don staff member Talan Garcia. “The dedication that my peers and advisors put into this program is unmatched. We all put in the time and work, and hold each other accountable when it's not up to par. That's the only reason I wasn't surprised."
Among the Pinnacle awards winners was
el Don Sports Editor Brandon Rowley who took first place for Best Print Sports Section where he was judged on three consecutive print issues, including a special commemoration article for the late SAC Baseball coach Don Sneddon. Former News Editor Lucero Garcia, now transferred as a senior at California State University, Northridge, won first place in Best Use of Short Video for News for her TikTok video on Mercado Gonzalez.
el Don was also recognized for their photography as Lifestyle Editor Ryla Manalang took second place for Best Photo Package for her photo essay “Friday Night Munchies," a piece about a weekly night market in Santa Ana where the vendors and customers developed a thriving gathering spot for the community.
“Friday Night Munchies is the first assignment that I took photos for, so it felt rewarding to see that those photos were recognized at a very prestigious journalism competition," said Manalang. “Although my name was on this assignment, I feel like the award also goes out to the food vendors. Without their hard work and dedication to the market, my vision wouldn't have came to life."
The current el Don staff also took home the Associate Collegiate Press Best in Show trophy for Best Website thanks to the redesign of eldonnews.org.
“Each member of el Don brings a diverse set of skills, passion, and subject knowledge to the team, whether that be in the arts, sports, politics, or technology," said Ajay Orona, assistant professor of Journalism and Media Studies. “This current group figured out how to motivate each other, and they've turned the newsroom into their laboratory. It's no wonder that they are competing against much larger four-year programs and walking away with wins."
Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Awards
Individual Awards:
Associated Collegiate Press Best in Show Fall 2024 Conference
The Best in Show Award is judged against all student media present at the convention. It celebrates current work that represents the best of student media.
- Best Website — 1st Place
- Best Newspaper/Newsmagazine – 3rd Place
Individual Awards:
College Media Association Pinnacles Awards (Lists in links below)
Questions about this press release can be directed to Ethereal Reyes from the Public Information Office at reyes_ethereal@sac.edu.
About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), founded in 1915, serves more than 70,000 students yearly. At present, SAC students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers free classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. Santa Ana College is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
