The Kentucky Kernel and KRNL Lifestyle and Fashion were recognized as two of the best student-led media organizations in the nation this week at the Fall National College Media Convention.
The convention, organized by the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) and the College Media Association (CMA), took place in Atlanta, Georgia on Oct. 29-Nov. 2. It included educational sessions, keynote speakers and other award ceremonies for the Pinnacle, ACP Pacemaker and ACP Best of Show competitions.
The Kernel and KRNL collectively won the most first-place awards in known Kernel media history for the 2022-2023 school year, according to UK Student Media Advisor Ryan Craig.
Most notably for some, the Kernel won a multiplatform Pacemaker and KRNL won the Pinnacle for Feature Magazine of the Year.
“I feel like we were able to once again show to the nation that we are one of the better media outlets in the country,” Craig said. “I feel like we’re going to improve and keep improving, but it’s good to stop and take stock of what you’ve done in the last year or so. And I do feel like it was one of our, one of the best years we’ve ever had.”
It was a successful year for students on an individual level as well, with many bringing home championships of their own.
Rana Alsoufi, former editor-in-chief and current lifestyle editor of KRNL, won the Pinnacle for Best Profile for her story on Muhammad Ali’s widow, Lonnie Ali.
“It was just the greatest reaffirmation that I’m doing a good job of what I do,” Alsoufi said. “It’s like, my favorite story I’ve ever written and I was just so emotional when I found out I won. I hope I did her story justice because she’s someone I respect a lot. Her legacy, not only just on Muhammad’s life but the entire Louisville community, is really crucial and really important so I’m glad I got to tell her story.”
The Kernel staff, namely current editor-in-chief Hannah Stanley and former editor-in-chief Rayleigh Deaton, were awarded the Pacemaker Multimedia Story of the Year for their Hazelwood package.
This story follows the hazing incident that led to the death of a UK student in 2021 and delves into the history and culture of hazing. It took nearly three months of investigation and research, according to Stanley.
“My jaw dropped, and I could feel my eyes starting to well with tears,” Stanley said. “Just to see all that hard work paid off, and just that me and former EIC Rayleigh Deaton put all those hours in and for it to be appreciated and nationally recognized as a first place winner, I was over the moon. It was a surreal feeling.”
With the Kernel in the midst of a digital transformation this year, Craig said he anticipates that this won’t be the last multimedia award they win.
“We’re looking at doing different things. With digital, with broadcasts, with audio to make us a more well-rounded media outlet, not just a newspaper,” Craig said. “I think that it’s interesting that we got the Pacemaker for multiplatform, which means that’s our newspaper plus what we were doing digitally and on social media. And I really do think that’s kind of where we’re heading and it’s good to know that we got that level of recognition.”
Craig also highlighted the importance of the lessons successful media experts shared with students at the convention.
“The opportunity that the students were given to come to Atlanta and, you know, go to sessions and learn more about their craft will be really instrumental in us trying to get back to New Orleans (the location of the 2024 National College Media convention) next year and do even better,” Craig said.
The full list of awards won by UK students at the convention can be found below.
PINNACLES
Organizational Pinnacles
KRNL – First Place for Feature Magazine of the Year
Kentucky Kernel – Second Place for Newspaper Website of the Year
Individual Pinnacles
Allie Hall, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Best Editorial Illustration
Rayleigh Deaton, Kentucky Kernel – First Place for Best Headline (Any Medium)
Akhila Nadimpalli & Allie Hall, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Best Literary Magazine Spread
Allie Diggs & Abbey Purcell, KRNL – Honorable Mention for Best Magazine Cover
Allie Diggs, KRNL – Honorable Mention for Best Magazine Feature Page/Spread
Allie Diggs, KRNL – First Place for Best Magazine News Page/Spread
Emme Schumacher, KRNL – Third Place for Best Magazine Sports Page/Spread
Samantha Money, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for Best Sports Feature
Grant Grubbs, Kentucky Kernel – Second Place for Best Sports Multimedia Story
Staff, Kentucky Kernel – Second Place for Best Sports Section
Staff, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Best Breaking News Coverage
Bryce Towle & Nate Lucas, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for Best Coverage of Faith
Emma Reilly, KRNL – Second Place for Best Feature Story
Staff, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Best Multimedia Breaking News Story
Rana Alsoufi, KRNL – First Place for Best Profile
Raven Rolle, Kentucky Kernel – Second Place for Best Social Media Reporting
Staff, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Best Special Section/More than Four Pages
Kendall Staton, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for General News Email Newsletter
ACP BEST OF SHOW
Organizational Best of Show
KRNL – Second Place for Feature Magazine
Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Website
Individual Best of Show
Bree Cox, KRNL – Second Place for Advertisement: Print, Online, Video, Audio
Allie Diggs, KRNL – Sixth Place for Design, Magazine
Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel – Sixth Place for Design, Yearbook
Samuel Colmar, Kentucky Kernel – Fifth Place for Photojournalism: News/Feature Photo
Abbey Cutrer, Kentucky Kernel – Seventh Place for Photojournalism: Sports Photo
ACP PACEMAKERS
Organizational Pacemakers
Kentucky Kernel – 2023 Online Pacemaker finalists for four-year campuses
Kentucky Kernel – 2023 Multiplatform Pacemakers / Four-year college/university
Individual Pacemakers
Staff, Kentucky Kernel – First Place for Multimedia News Story of the Year (Hazelwood)
Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for Yearbook Cover Design
Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel – Third Place for Yearbook Page/Spread Design
Raven Rolle, Kentucky Kernel – First Place for Social Media Reporting
Maria Rauh, Kentucky Kernel – Fifth Place for News/Breaking News Photo
Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel – Fourth Place for Feature Photo
Carter Skaggs, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for Feature Photo
Jack Weaver, Kentucky Kernel – First Place for Sports Photo
Olivia Hall, Kentucky Kernel – Fourth Place for Sports Photo
Editorial Board, Kentucky Kernel – Honorable Mention for Editorial
Alexis Baker, Rayleigh Deaton and Karrington Garland, Kentucky Kernel- Fourth Place for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Reporting
Rayleigh Deaton, Kentucky Kernel – Fifth Place for Reporter of the Year