Elon News Network wins big as School of Communications hosts statewide college media conference

By Colin Donohue, staff

March 4, 2026

ENN students showcase their NCCMA awards
Elon News Network students won several awards at the North Carolina College Media Association conference on Feb. 28 at Elon University.

Student media staff members from around North Carolina attended professional development sessions, many of which were led by Elon faculty and staff.

About 175 attendees from student publications from 19 schools around the state were on campus Feb. 28 as Elon University’s School of Communications hosted the annual North Carolina College Media Association conference. More than 20 Elon University faculty, staff, students and alumni participated in the gathering by offering lectures, workshops and critiques.

Photos of the conference are available on the school’s Flickr account.

The conference began with the panel discussion “Government Threats to Journalists’ Autonomy” moderated by Lorraine Ahearn, assistant professor of journalism, and Pate McMichael, director of the North Carolina Open Government Coalition and instructor in communications. Joining the panel were professionals Thad Ogburn of the Raleigh News & Observer, Rana Cash of the Charlotte Observer, and Phoebe Zerwick of the Down from DC newsletter.

Colin Donohue, assistant professor of journalism and director of student engagement and special projects for the School of Communications, organized the conference. He said hosting an event such as NCCMA provided learning opportunities for Elon students and outreach to students from around the state.

“We’re always excited to host the NCCMA conference because we love supporting and celebrating student media,” Donohue said. “The event allows students to develop professionally and network with their peers from across the state, and that shared learning experience can inform the work they do on their campuses.”

Elon alumnus David Hodges speaks during the NCCMA conference
David Hodges ’12, an investigative reporter with WBTV in Charlotte, delivered the keynote address at the North Carolina College Media Association conference.

The keynote address was presented by Elon alumnus David Hodges ’12, an investigative reporter for WBTV in Charlotte.

Many other Elon faculty, staff and students presented breakout sessions at the conference.

  • McMichael presented the session “Know Your Rights: Media Law for Student Journalists.”
  • David Bockino, associate professor of sport management, presented the session “From ‘We’ to ‘Me’: A History of Sports Media and Sports Betting.”
  • Ben Hannam, associate professor of communication design and chair of the Department of Communication Design, presented “AI & Creativity: Challenges and Opportunities for Graphic Designers.”
  • Israel Balderas, assistant professor of journalism, presented “Covering Protests, Walkouts and Campus Political Flashpoints.”
  • Drew Perry, associate professor of English, presented “Literary Magazine – From Start to Really Finished: Matching Your Vision to the Printed Page.”
  • Randy Piland, associate teaching professor of communication design, presented the sessions “Drones in Media: Aerial Storytelling, Ethics, and Real-World Impact” and “Photography – Action. Reaction. Interaction. Building Storytelling Frames That Matter.”
  • Kelly Furnas, associate teaching professor of journalism, presented “10 Things You’re not Doing Online (but should be).”
  • Anjolina Fantaroni ’26, executive director, of Elon News Network and Sarah Moore ’26, managing editor of The Pendulum, moderated the student editors’ roundtable.
  • Journalism major Charlotte Pfabe ’27 introduced Hodges, and she and journalism, media analytics and digital content management triple major Abby Gravely ’27 emceed the conference’s awards presentation.
Opening panel at the NCCMA conference
The opening panel at the North Carolina College Media Association featured current and former newspaper reporters and editors discussing how to handle threats to journalists’ autonomy.

The conference also featured an awards ceremony recognizing the best in student media from around the state in 2025. Students from Elon News Network received honors, including:

Posted in: Awards & Recognitions Student Experience

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