At the nation’s largest college media convention, held this fall in Washington, D.C., Elon journalism students earned multiple honors recognizing their reporting and creative work.
Elon News Network continued its streak of national success this fall, with students earning top honors at last week’s MediaFest25 in Washington, D.C. The annual gathering of student and professional journalists – hosted Oct. 15–18 by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), College Media Association (CMA), and Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) – spotlighted excellence in storytelling, leadership and innovation across college media.
Elon’s student journalists once again stood out among the country’s best. The Pendulum earned an ACP Newspaper Pacemaker for its standout print editions from the 2024–25 academic year, and Elon News Network received a Multiplatform Pacemaker – one of just 11 awarded nationwide.
“Hats off to the students of Elon News Network, The Pendulum and “ENN Tonight,” who came home with multiple Pacemaker Awards,” said Anthony Hatcher, professor and chair of the Department of Journalism. “We’re proud of our students, graduates and faculty advisers whose dedication continues to distinguish Elon journalism on the national stage.”
Beyond the awards, Anjolina Fantaroni ’26, a journalism major, served on the SPJ News Team, joining 10 student journalists and recent graduates selected nationwide to deliver real-time coverage of the convention. She was joined at the conference by fellow Elon students Benjamin Berfield ’27, Miles Hayford ’27, Katrina Holtz ’28, Fiona McAllister ’26, Lilly Molina ’27 and Charlotte Pfabe ’27. Hatcher accompanied the students to the nation’s capital.
The week also included a networking reception for students and alumni in Washington, D.C. Coordinated by Maggie Mullikin, manager of experiential programs, the gathering fostered connections among Elon’s growing community of communications professionals.
“We sincerely appreciate the School of Communications’ support of academic trips like this in challenging times,” Hatcher said.
Awards
In addition to the Pacemaker honors, Elon students were recognized across multiple categories:
Winner – Newspaper Pacemaker
The Pendulum
Sept. 18, 2024, Oct. 9, 2024 and Oct. 30, 2024 editions
Winner – Multiplatform Pacemaker
Elon News Network
Honorable Mention – Broadcast Feature Story
Anjolina Fantaroni
Vigil for Wyatt Outlaw
Honorable Mention – Broadcast Sports Story
Abigail Hines
Special Olympics
Honorable Mention – Sports Game/Action Photo
Katherine Martin
Carolina Cowboys
3rd Place – Blog
Staff
Election Day 2024
3rd Place – Multimedia Feature Story
Betsy Schlehuber
The autistic experience at Elon University
2nd Place – Multimedia Sports Story
Cap Henneman
Heart of a Spartan
3rd Place – Multimedia Sports Story
Erin Martin
Rocket League sparks connection at Elon
3rd Place – Reporter of the Year
Avery Sloan
“I’m not hiding out”
Elon partners with Occaneechi Tribe for language revitalization course
ABSS grapples with staff shortages, prioritizing budget
Immigrants in Alamance County adjust to evolving policies
4th Place – In-Depth News Story
Ryan Kupperman
Detaining Futures
Finalist – Feature Story
Alex Nettles
Hurricane Helene relief through the lens of a Black Hawk mission
Honorable Mention – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
Avery Sloan
“I’m not hiding out”
4th Place – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
Lilly Molina
A Hushed Legacy: Samuel Merritt’s story as a descendant of a lynching victim
Honorable Mention – Ernie Pyle Human Interest Profile
Avery Sloan
“I’m not hiding out”