BYU–Hawaii’s Campus News shines at the National College Media Convention with top honors in organizational and individual awards
According to the Associated Collegiate Press website, the annual October college media convention is the nation’s largest gathering of college journalists and advisers who participated in sessions, critiques and contests, and listen to speakers.
Ke Alaka‘i received awards in various categories in addition to Magazine of the Year:
- Pacemaker Finalist- Magazine of the Year
- Pacemaker Finalist- Multiplatform
- Third Place- Best Multimedia News Story
- Second Place- Best News Package
- Honorable Mention- Best Multimedia Feature Story
- Second Place- Best Special Section (Four pages or fewer)
- First Place- Best Video Special Event Coverage
- First Place- Best Magazine Contents/Spread
- Honorable Mention- Best Magazine Cover
- Honorable Mention- Best Magazine Entertainment Page/Spread
- First Place- Best Magazine Sports Page/Spread
- First Place- Best Special Section Cover
- Third Place- Best Sports Feature Photo
- First Place- Best Sports News Photo
- Honorable Mention- Best Photo Package
- First Place- Best Portrait
- Honorable Mention- Best College Media Group of the Year
- Honorable Mention- Best Feature Magazine of the Year
- Honorable Mention- Best Multimedia Sports Story
- Honorable Mention- Informational Graphic Design of the Year
- Honorable Mention- Best Use of Short (Sub 3-minute) Video for News and Information
- Honorable Mention- Best Special Section (More than Four Pages)
This year Ke Alaka‘i earned the highest award, the ACP Magazine Pacemaker, at the conference. Gary Lundgren, the ACP associate director and coordinator of the Pacemaker competition, highlighted the exceptional quality of the winning student magazines, noting they rival professional publications. “The verbal and visual storytelling in the winning magazines is remarkable, with long-form stories that are both in-depth and engaging, balanced with shorter quick-reads that guide the reader seamlessly through the pages of the feature magazines,” he said.
The keys to success
Ke Alaka‘i advisor LeeAnn Lambert said the magazine’s success is attributed to a balance of creativity. “It’s a combination of good writing, editing, beautiful photography and visuals,” she said. She added BYUH’s global diversity provides opportunities to cover fascinating topics and people worldwide. “Every team member brings unique ideas, and we often develop one unified concept to cover various perspectives,” she said.
Lambert said training new team members poses challenges but emphasized the magazine’s structured feedback system as essential to building skills. “The more we focus on training and providing feedback, the more our team can develop the skills needed to produce exemplary work,” she explained.
Lambert emphasized the need for extensive planning and teamwork for future editors and journalists. “It takes a lot of planning to create stories, visuals and photography that stand out,” she said. “The more we can work together as a team, the more we can achieve,” she continued.
She also noted while most student magazines done at colleges just release one issue per semester or year. She said, “We produce three magazines a semester, competing with others who only produce one every six months.” Lambert said this accelerated production schedule sets them apart, yet they compete with publications where the staff has more time to dedicate to each issue.
Perspectives from the creative team
Yui Leung, a senior majoring in visual arts and a photographer for Ke Alaka‘i, shared how his passion for creative work has driven his commitment to the magazine. Reflecting on his journey, Leung said working with Ke Alaka‘i has allowed him to combine his love for photography with storytelling. “Photography is something I wanted to do and love doing, which is why I’ve stayed with Ke Alaka‘i for almost three years,” he explained. He described how the magazine provides a platform to express his creativity while contributing to a team that values diverse perspectives and high standards.
Leung also emphasized the importance of aligning one’s work with personal passions. He encouraged future team members to pursue genuinely interesting roles, as this alignment enhances job satisfaction and productivity.
“If this job is something you’re passionate about, you’ll enjoy it because we’re creating something valuable for everyone,” he noted. Leung highlighted the unique environment at Ke Alaka‘i allows creative minds to thrive by producing content that resonates with a wide audience, both on campus and beyond.
Beyond personal passion, Leung offered advice on navigating the challenges and demands of the creative field. “You need to get out of your comfort zone and be creative,” he advised. This process, he said, is essential not only for personal growth but also for contributing to a publication that seeks to innovate with each issue.
Leung added teamwork and a willingness to embrace new ideas are crucial to achieving success in a field that requires collaboration and originality.