MATC Times staff receive national college media awards

Two Pinnacles and one Reporter of the Year

by Warren Murphy, Managing Editor

November 4, 2024

MATC Times staff members received two Pinnacle Awards at the Fall National College Media Association Convention. Both Honorable Mention awards were in the Design category. They were given at the convention in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 31, 2024. Pictured from left to right are: Crystal Williams (sports writer), Barb Volbrecht (Times advisor), Emma Turk (graphic designer), Zanaia Joshua (Editor-in-Chief), Warren Murphy (managing editor)and Cierra Pleshette (photography editor). Not pictured: Erik Martinez who was attending a CMA session.

The MATC Times is thrilled to share that our Editor-in-Chief, Zanaia Joshua, won a Reporter of The Year Award from the Associated College Press (ACP). She received the Honorable Mention award on Saturday, November 2. On Thursday, October 31, the MATC Times won two Pinnacle Awards at the Fall National College Media Association (CMA) Convention. Both of the Honorable Mention awards were in the Design category. They were for:

Best Newspaper Page/Spread – for a May 2024 story which covered Dr. Martin’s Retirement. It was created by Graphic Designer Emma Turk and last year’s Editor-in-Chief D’Allen Davis.
Best News Website Front Page – for this award, our entire staff was nominated because everyone contributes to our site.

The Times received the final results at the CMA in New Orleans, Louisiana, Oct. 30-Nov. 2. The Pinnacle Awards had 3,109 entries this year. We recognize these competitive awards as a celebration of our team’s hard work and creativity.

If you see Zanaia Joshua, D’Allen Davis, Emma Turk, or any of the Times members on campus, I encourage you to congratulate them on their awards.

MATC Times’ Editor-in-Chief, Zanaia Joshua, received a Reporter of the Year Award from the Associated Collegiate Press. Her Honorable Mention award was given at an award ceremony during the College Media Association Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana on November 2, 2024. (Photo by Cierra Pleshette)

About the Contributor

Warren Murphy, Managing Editor

My name is Warren Murphy and I am Managing Editor of the MATC Times. I joined the staff last year, and after consistently contributing as a writer, I was named Features Editor. This year, with our new Editor-in-Chief, Zanaia Joshua, selecting me as Managing Editor, I plan to help curate a student paper that serves as a true mouthpiece for the voice of our students. I am in the Liberal Arts Transfer program and I plan on transferring to UW-Madison to complete my bachelors after this upcoming fall semester. For fun, I love to play basketball and go to stand-up comedy shows with my friends and family. I originally joined the Times because I was having a hard time finding a space for myself on campus. If you're struggling to find your place like I was, I strongly encourage you to reach out and see how you can get involved. MATC Times believes wholeheartedly in the power of collaboration and inclusivity, as baked into our foundation by our previous Editor-in-Chief Christopher D'Allen, and as student leaders, Zanaia and I are working constantly to ensure we provide a space that welcomes ALL students.