(L-R) El Camino College journalism students Jaylen Morgan, Erica Lee, Greg Fontanilla, Nikki Yunker, Isaac Ramirez and Angel Pasillas hold Apple Awards at the College Media Association's Spring National College Media Convention in New York City on Saturday, March 1. (Stefanie Frith | The Union).
Staff from The Union newspaper and Warrior Life magazine were recently recognized with multiple awards at two national journalism conventions.
Six students attended the CMA Spring National College Media Convention in New York City from Feb. 26 to March 1, and nine students attended the ACP Spring National College Media Conference in Long Beach from March 6 to March 8.
In total, the El Camino College journalism program was recognized by four different journalism organizations and took home 46 awards from both conferences.
Ma. Gisela Ordenes and Eddy Cermeno, both working on the Warrior Life magazine in fall 2024, won a national first place award for their magazine design from the Associated Collegiate Press.
Cermeno said producing the magazine’s cover was a collaborative, multi-step process, involving Ordenes coordinating photoshoots with the main source of the story while former photo editor Raphael Richardson provided extra lights and equipment.
“It took time to take those photos, but in the end, it was very much worth it to see the end product and succeed and get recognition from a bunch of organizations,” Cermeno said.
Editor-in-chief of The Union newspaper, Nikki Yunker, won a national ACP first place award for the news story she wrote about Basic Needs Centers at California community colleges.
“I was really surprised because I didn’t know. I didn’t realize that the story had that much impact, that it was going to be considered for such an award,” Yunker said.
Yunker said it took about two to three months over the in fall 2024 semester to put the story together.
She spoke to 17 sources, including students, professors, Basic Needs Center staff, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office staff and experts on basic needs insecurity across the nation and locally.
Jack Mulkey, the advertising and business manager for the journalism department, is the main person in charge of submitting students’ work for competitions and awards.
“It’s a lot of work to do, but it is rewarding to get the students’ work out there in the world for professionals to see and judge,” Mulkey said. “We’re excited when students win awards for their work and that makes me very happy and everyone else.”
Journalism professor and student media adviser Stefanie Frith has taught classes in the ECC journalism department for over 10 years and attends the conferences with students.
“Attending the conferences with students is paramount to making sure that our students have access to industry professionals and networking and the best training,” Frith said.
Frith said that the students gain a lot from the conferences and apply what they learn to their work.
“Being able to attend the conferences and having the support of El Camino College to be able to do that for our students means a great deal to us,” Frith said.
1. Associated Collegiate Press, Best of Show awards (National)
First place: Magazine design, Ma. Gisela Ordenes with Eddy Cermeno
First place: News story, Nikki Yunker
First place: Diversity, equity and inclusivity reporting; Kim McGill
Second place: Digital newsletter, The Union staff
Fourth place: Best magazine, Warrior Life
Fifth place: News/feature photo, Eddy Cermeno
Sixth place: Best newspaper, The Union
Eighth place: Best website, The Union (eccunion.com)
Tenth place: Feature story, Ma. Gisela Ordenes
2. Journalism Association of Community Colleges (Statewide)
Pacesetter: The Union
Meritorious: Newspaper general excellence, The Union
Meritorious: Online general excellence, The Union (eccunion.com)
Meritorious: Magazine general excellence, Warrior Life
Meritorious: Enterprise news story, Delfino Camacho
First place: Illustration, Nikki Yunker
Second place: Magazine cover design, Angela Osorio and Eddy Cermeno
Second place: Critical review, Erica Lee
Third place: Photo illustration, Delfino Camacho
Third place: News photo, Ethan Cohen
Third place: Sports feature photo, Greg Fontanilla
Fourth place: Feature photo, Elliott Bullock II
Fourth place, magazine design/layout, Warrior Life staff
Honorable mention: Front page layout, Eddy Cermeno, Ma. Gisela Ordenes, Angel Pasillas
Honorable mention: Illustration, Jeremiah Dela Cruz
Honorable mention: Editorial cartoon, Ivan E. Mendez De Leon
Honorable mention: Inside page layout, Angela Osorio
Honorable mention: Editorial, Greg Fontanilla
Honorable mention: Profile feature story, Nikki Yunker
Honorable mention, magazine illustration, Nikki Yunker
Honorable mention, magazine photo, Eddy Cermeno
Honorable mention, magazine feature photo, Eddy Cermeno
3. California College Media Association (Statewide)
First place: Magazine photo, Eddy Cermeno
Second place: Infographic, Kim McGill
Second place: Magazine, Warrior Life
Second place: News or feature video, Philip Mawamba
Third place: Feature photo, Kayla Mitchell
Third place: Magazine story, Kim McGill
4. College Media Association Apple Awards (National)
First place: Best multimedia package, Erica Lee
First place: Best news photo, Eddy Cermeno
Third place: Best feature photo, Eddy Cermeno
Third place: Best magazine, Warrior Life
Third place: Best opinion column, Ma. Gisela Ordenes
Third place: Best email newsletter, The Union
Honorable mention: Best magazine cover, Eddy Cermeno and Angela Osorio
Honorable mention: Best editorial, Greg Fontanilla
Honorable mention: Best newspaper, The Union
Editor’s Note: This story was updated Thursday, March 20 at 6:00 p.m. to add details.