The Collegiate staff travelled to Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, early Saturday morning, March 28, for the Michigan Community College Press Association awards ceremony. The MCCPA recognizes and awards student journalists for their hard work and dedication to providing noteworthy and relevant information to the community. The Grand Rapids-based newspaper took home 8 first-place awards, including the top spot for News Website, among others.
Featured keynote speaker of the day, Nicole Yelland, Founder of GRIT PR, kicked off the day with a discussion about the dangers and benefits of using AI to aid with writing. Amid criticisms about the popular networking site, LinkedIn, Yelland pointed to statistics about companies that have failed after “hemorrhaging” their human workforce. These numbers were a way to encourage audience members to stay steadfast with their writing as well as the usage of AI, which can assist with the boring and mundane parts of work.
While an advocate of AI, Yelland acknowledged the importance of journalistic integrity, including developing a personal voice and writing style. “AI can write a script… (but it) can’t decide what’s worth reporting,” she said. Only human authors are able to understand and write what matters. Humans have credibility, and AI does not.
Afterward, attendees had the opportunity to participate in workshops presented by Terry Foster, Sarah Leach, Jake May, and Rose White.
Terry Foster is a CMU alumnus and has worked for Detroit Free Press. His current passion is to be a mentor for young journalists and sportswriters. In his discussion of “The Perfect Game Story,” he advised students to be a reporter, not just a writer, and to always look for small details others may not notice. Foster also reminded journalists that the purpose of reporting is the individual stories within sports.
Sarah Leach, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist, has over 20 years of experience as a reporter, copy editor, and designer. She is a CMU grad as well. Leach’s workshop offered strategies to execute “The Art of the Interview.” The advice ranged from making the source comfortable to also drawing out the most compelling and useful information. Additionally, Leach encouraged students to research their interview topic if it’s not previously familiar. Lastly, it’s okay to go off script and to circle back to the most provocative question, if not answered the first time it’s asked.
Jake May is an award winning photojournalist at The Flint Journal and MLive. He was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist for his work during the Flint water crisis. May’s photographs have received local, national, and international acclaim. His workshop “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” informed attendees how to capture the emotion of a moment rather than having the perfect staged photo. May advised that when approaching traumatic events to always remain respectful and intentional. He also suggested planning ahead and reaching out before an event which could lead to better photography opportunities.
Rose White is an investigative journalist at MLive and has been a professional journalist for nine years. Her work has won awards from the Michigan Press Association, Michigan Associated Press Media Editors, and Detroit Society of Professional Journalists. White’s workshop, “FOIA, OMA, Public Records and Reporting,” explored ways for journalists to access information that isn’t readily available, as well as which federal agencies must provide information. Attendees learned how to submit a FOIA request and what steps to take once their FOIA has been received, rejected, or blocked by payment or heavy redactions.
The conference concluded with a luncheon and awards ceremony, as well as a high-energy raffle in between. The awards won by the 2025-2026 Collegiate staff are listed below.
News Story–
First place, Gabriel Solis, “As shutdown rages on, GRCC families are affected”
Second place, Jakhari Carroll, with Gabriel Solis, and Grace Holmes, “No Kings protestors rally in Grand Rapids against Trump Administration”
Solution Based Journalism–
First place, Grace Holmes, “Grcc administrators clarify campus ICE response guidelines”
Honorable mention, Ari’ Browley, “Michigan new K-12 phone ban brings hope to educators, while GRCC students remain on the fence”
Feature Story– Third place, Grace Holmes “Diversity Lecture Series speaker encourages attendees to ‘Go and use your magic’”
First Amendment reporting– Honorable mention, Mackenzie Davis, “Students call for more transparency at the Woodrick Centers’ ‘Conversations with Executive Leaders Event’ as some leave in tears and frustration”
Column, Serious– First place, Jamie Miller, “Opinion: Make us United States again”
Critical Review– First place, Gabriel Solis, “Understanding ‘Marty Supreme’ – and Timothe Chalamet”
Third place, Marc Stoufer III, “‘Severance’ is a gripping labyrinth”
Sports News Story–
Second place, Kole Meschke, “GRCC Students and locals reflect on sports gambling’s rise”
Third place, Grace Holmes, with Ari’ Browley, Karalynn Davis, Kyle Jackson, Catherine McArthur, Neveah Morofsky, Malaina Phebus, and Ashleigh Wolbrink, “Students discuss the men’s U.S. Olympic hockey team’s controversial locker room video”
Sports Column– Second place, Alexandria Webb, “GRCC student experiences RISE College Thursday”
News Photo– Second place, Vanessa Hewitt, “‘We’re not going back:’ Thousands gather in downtown Grand Rapids for International Women’s Day march”
Feature Photo– Third place, Kole Meschke, “Dar Mayweather speaks at GRCC during Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy week”
Sports News Photo– First place, Kole Meschke, “GRCC Women’s Volleyball captures 14th District Title, heads to Nationals on a 22-match win streak”
Photo Essay or Digital Slideshow–
Third place, Kole Meschke, “No Kings’ protesters rally in Grand Rapids against Trump Administration”
Honorable Mention, Vanessa Hewitt “‘We’re not going back:’ Thousands gather in downtown Grand Rapids for International Women’s Day march”
Original Illustration– Second place, Dana Kistler, “The Collegiate Winter 2025 Magazine”
Multimedia Reporting–
First place, Karalynn Davis and Kole Meschke, “The Paper Jam Volume 1: The Bridge Between”
Third place, Alexa Cheaney, Vanessa Hewitt, and Grace Howard, “‘We’re not going back:’ Thousands gather in downtown Grand Rapids for International Women’s Day march”
Video Production or Online Audio Slideshow Production–
First place, GRCC The Collegiate Staff, “The Collegiate video podcast”
Second place, Marc Stoufer III, “Here’s where your trash goes after you throw it away”
Video Production or Online Audio Slideshow Production– Honorable Mention, Kyle Jackson and Karalynn Davis, “GRCC’s food pantry is actively working to help students in need”
News Website– First place, Grand Rapids Community College, “The Collegiate Live”
