🏆 VCU Student Media Center Wins Big at 2025 MediaFest25 Convention in DC
The Student Media Center (SMC) at VCU continued its impressive streak of national recognition at the SPJ/ACP/CMA Convention (MediaFest25) in Washington D.C. last month. Students producing work through their involvement with the SMC have consistently gained national attention over the past several years, and this year was no different.
The SMC picked up a total of 21 awards, highlighted by the most prestigious honor for college newspapers: the ACP Pacemaker, which was awarded to the Commonwealth Times (CT).
Sarah Hagen, Managing Editor for the CT, shared, “It was an honor to win another Pacemaker for the CT and so many other awards for the SMC. I get to see our incredible staff in action every day, so I’m glad everyone else is able to see the results of their constant hard work. This recognition means a lot to the students who put their heart and soul into every word they write.”
Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor for the CT, added, “Earning recognition for our work in journalism is like being told all of our late nights at the Student Media Center were worth it! I’m endlessly proud of our team members, who push the boundaries of what we can do every day.”
You can check out a brief recap of awards via this VCUDSA Instagram post and the full list of winners can be viewed below.
2024 National Society of Professional Journalists Mark of Excellence Awards
The SPJ Mark of Excellence awards are SPJ’s highest annual national honors for college journalism.To be eligible for consideration in the national competition, each of these entries had to win their category in our regional competition. VCU competes in Region 2 (Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia and North Carolina).
• Sports Column Writing, National Winner: Kyler Gilliam, The Commonwealth Times
• Best Ongoing Student Magazine, National Finalist: Amendment Literary and Art Journal
2025 College Media Association Pinnacle Awards
The CMA Pinnacle Awards are the annual awards for the best college media work in the nation.
• Sports Photo, First place: Anthony Duong, The Commonwealth Times (“VCU Breaks the Bonnies’ Curse 75-61,” Jan. 29, 2025)
• Literary Magazine Spread Design, First place: Casey Kendle, Reese Cilley and Kylie Grunsfeld, Pwatem (“A Yellow Rabbit Among White Wolves,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Feature Photo Package, First place: Claudia Andrade-Ayala, Ink Magazine (“I’m Built Different,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Best Headline, Second place: Thailon Wilson, The Commonwealth Times (“Rams Pillage the Vikings,” Dec. 4, 2024)
• Breaking News Photo, Honorable mention: Arrick Wilson, The Commonwealth Times (“‘They say no choice, we say pro-choice’: Students protest anti-abortion advocates,” Nov. 13, 2024)
• Print Advertisement Design, Second place: Victor Romanko, The Commonwealth Times (“Join our Newsletter,” Jan. 29, 2025)
• Feature Magazine of the Year: Second place, Staff, Ink Magazine
• Literary Magazine of the Year: Honorable mention, Staff, Pwatem
2025 Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker and Individual Awards
The ACP Pacemaker is considered the “Pulitzer Prize” of college journalism. Only 17 newspapers nationally were chosen as Pacemaker winners this year. The ACP individual awards are also considered the top national honors for college journalism.
• National Newspaper Pacemaker Winner: The Commonwealth Times
• Design of the Year: Illustrations, First place: Gillian Grunenfelder, Pwatem (“The Cycle of Paris and Helen,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Design of the Year: Illustrations, Third place: Aisha Virk, Ink Magazine (“Trans Girls Love Slint,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Design of the Year: Illustrations, Honorable mention: Killian Goodale-Porter, The Commonwealth Times (“I can’t afford to regret my abortion,” Dec. 4, 2024)
2025 Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show Awards
ACP also hosts an on-site competition for new work students completed between the June deadlines for the big national awards.
• Best Magazine Design, Third place: Amaris Bowers, Summer DeCiucis, Zach Montgomery, Elizabeth Murphy, River City Fashion (“Life, Is, a Fashion Show,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Best Magazine Design, Sixth place: Gillian Grunenfelder, Elina Perera, Reese Cilley, Pwatem (“Shrinking Feeling,” Spring 2025 issue)
• Best Feature Magazine, Sixth place: Ink Magazine (Spring 2025 issue)
• Best Literary/Art Magazine, Fifth place: Pwatem
• Best Literary/Art Magazine, Eighth place: Amendment
• Best Literary/Art Magazine, Ninth place: Annum Arcanum
• Best Newspaper, Eighth place: The Commonwealth Times
Info about students
These are only students specifically named in individual awards — the overall awards for best magazines and newspaper are thanks to nearly 800 other students collaborating last year even if they can’t all be individually named.
• Claudia Andrade-Ayaya is a staff contributor and editor for Ink Magazine and a junior Music student.
• Amaris Bowers served as Managing Editor for River City Fashion from 2024-2025 and graduated in fall 2024 with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications.
• Reese Cilley served as Pwatem Editor-in-Chief from 2003-2005 and graduated in 2025 with a B.F.A. degree in Communication Arts.
• Summer DeCiucis served as Editor-in-Chief for River City Fashion from 2024-2025 and graduated in spring 2025 with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications.
• Anthony Duong is a Commonwealth Times photographer and cartoonist, and a graduate student in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering.
• Kyler Gilliam is a Commonwealth Times Staff Writer and a senior Mass Communications student.
• Killian Goodale-Porter served as illustrations editor for The Commonwealth Times from 2024-2025 and graduated in 2025 with a B.F.A. degree in Communication Arts and a Baccalaureate Certificate in Product Innovation.
• Gillian Grunenfelder is a Pwatem contributing artist and graduated in 2024 with a B.F.A. degree in Communication Arts.
• Kylie Grunsfeld is a Pwatem contributing photograhper and sophomore English student.
• Casey Kendle is a Pwatem contributing writer and a senior English student.
• Zach Montgomery served as designer for River City Fashion’s magazine in 2025, currently art director for the Student Media Center and is a senior Graphic Design student.
• Elizabeth Murphy served as a photographer for River City Fashion magazine in 2025 and is a junior Photography and Film student.
• Elina Perera served as a staff writer and editor for Pwatem and is a junior Pre-Medical Lab Sciences student.
• Victor Romanko served as Art Director for The Commonwealth Times from 2024-2025 and graduated in 2025 with a B.F.A. degree in Kinetic Imaging.
• Aisha Virk serves as Art Editor and Social Media Manager for Ink Magazine and is a junior Graphic Design student.
• Arrick Wilson served as sports editor for The Commonwealth Times in 2021-2022 and photo editor from 2022-2025, and graduated in 2025 with a B.S. degree in Mass Communications.
• Thailon Wilson served as sports editor for The Commonwealth Times in 2024-2025, earned his B.S. degree in Mass Communications in 2025 and is currently a graduate student in Mass Communications.
Categories Fall 2025 - Spring 2026