The Santa Ana College el Don is the nation's top community college newsmagazine, and its website eldonnews.org is considered among the top four collegiate websites in America. Both are 2015 Associated Collegiate Press National Pacemaker Award winners, considered the Pulitzer Prize of college media.

Santa Ana College student news media have won more local, state and national awards than any community college in the United States.

Since 1990 Santa Ana College journalism students have won more than 1,700 first place honors in national, state and regional competitions.

 El Don was inducted into the Associated Collegiate Press College Journalism Hall of Fame in 2008 and has won 21 Associated Collegiate Press National Pacemaker Awards.​

Communications and Media Studies is considered one of Santa Ana College's academic pillars since 1923, representing California with distinction and honor.