March 15, 2024

The Corsair Wins Dozens of National & Regional Awards

Front row (L-R) Alejandro Contreras, Caylo Seals, Danilo Perez along with back row (L-R) Renée Bartlett-Webber, Amber Guerrero, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, and Taylor Smith display their awards at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges/ ACP conference. (Photo Credit: Gerard Burkhart)
Front row (L-R) Alejandro Contreras, Caylo Seals, Danilo Perez along with back row (L-R) Renée Bartlett-Webber, Amber Guerrero, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, and Taylor Smith display their awards at the Journalism Association of Community Colleges/ ACP conference. (Photo Credit: Gerard Burkhart)

SMC’s The Corsair Brings Home Dozens of National & Regional Awards

Student-Run Media Outlet Wins a Total of 35 Awards from Associated Collegiate Press, California College Media Association, and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges

SANTA MONICA, CA—Santa Monica College’s (SMC) student-run media outlet The Corsair and its staff have brought home a total of 35 awards from the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), the California College Media Association (CCMA), and the Journalism Association of Community Colleges (JACC). The awards were announced at the end of a joint conference held March 7-9, 2024 in La Jolla, Calif.

Santa Monica College students dancing in the last hour of the HBCU Caravan event held at Santa Monica College’s main campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. The photo, taken by Danilo Perez, won a first place award from the California College Media Association in the feature photo category. (Danilo Perez | The Corsair)
Santa Monica College students dancing in the last hour of the HBCU Caravan event held at Santa Monica College’s main campus, in Santa Monica, Calif. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. The photo, taken by Danilo Perez, won a first place award from the California College Media Association in the feature photo category. (Danilo Perez | The Corsair)

Here is a complete listing of the awards brought home by The Corsair and its staff, including many top awards from each organization: 

Associated Collegiate Press Best of Show Awards:

  • Website, Two Year Campus, Second Place: The Corsair
  • Newspaper, Two Year Campus, Ninth Place: The Corsair

To learn more visit studentpress.org/acp.

Front page photo by Akemi Rico part of a series that won a first-place JACC award. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)
Front page photo by Akemi Rico part of a series that won a first-place JACC award. (Akemi Rico | The Corsair)

JACC State Publication Awards:

  • Online General Excellence, Meritorious, Corsair Staff
  • Online Photo Story/Essay, First Place, Caylo Seals
  • Column Writing, Second Place, Victor Chambers
  • Enterprise News Story/Series, Meritorious, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Victor Chambers, Samaiya Kirby, Renee Barlett-Webber, Akemi Rico
  • Enterprise News Story/Series, Meritorious, Caylo Seals
  • News Photo, First Place, Caylo Seals
  • News Photo, Honorable Mention, Caylo Seals
  • Sports Action Photo, First Place, Danilo Perez
  • Sports Action Photo, Second Place, Caylo Seals
  • Feature Photo, Honorable Mention, Akemi Rico
  • Photo Story-Essay, First Place, Akemi Rico
  • Photo Story-Essay, Fourth Place (tie), Caylo Seals
  • Informational Graphic, Third Place, Victor Chambers
  • Front Page Layout, Third Place, The Corsair Staff
  • Video Soft News Reporting, Honorable Mention, Torrie Krantz-Klein, Alejandro Contreras

JACC On-the-Spot Awards:

  • Audio, First, Amber Guerrero, Renee Bartlett-Webber
  • Critical review, Fourth, Taylor Smith
  • News photo, Fourth, Alejandro Contreras
  • News photo, First, Caylo Seals
  • Social media, Honorable mention, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Amber Guerrero
  • Sports photo, Second, Danilo Perez
  • Digital media, Second, Pacesetter, Santa Monica College

Founded in 1955, JACC is a nonprofit on the cutting edge of journalism education, bridging the gaps between students, educators, and publications by providing networking and educational events aimed at inspiring members at each stage of their journalism career. To learn more about the JACC, visit jacconline.org.

Front row (L-R) Renée Bartlett-Webber, Alejandro Contreras, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Amber Guerrero, Caylo Seals & back row (L-R) Danilo Perez and Taylor Smith display their awards from the California College Media Association conference. (Photo Credit: Gerard Burkhart)
Front row (L-R) Renée Bartlett-Webber, Alejandro Contreras, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Amber Guerrero, Caylo Seals & back row (L-R) Danilo Perez and Taylor Smith display their awards from the California College Media Association conference. (Photo Credit: Gerard Burkhart)

California College Media Association:

First Place: 

  • Special Issue/Section, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Victor Chambers, Samaiya Kirby, Renee Barlett-Webber, Akemi Rico
  • Photo Series, Akemi Rico
  • Feature Photograph, Danilo Perez
  • Sports Photograph, Danilo Perez
  • Best News Series, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Victor Chambers, Samaiya Kirby, Renee Barlett-Webber, Akemi Rico

 Second Place: 

  • Newspaper Inside Page Design, Caylo Seals
  • Overall Newspaper Design, Victor Chambers, Caylo Seals, Danniel Sumarkho
  • Editorial, Victor Chambers
  • Breaking News Story, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Victor Chambers, Samaiya Kirby, Renee Barlett-Webber 

Third Place: 

  • Podcast, Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, Victor Chambers, Samaiya Kirby, Renee Barlett-Webber, Amber Guerrero
  • Sports Story, Danilo Perez
Caylo Seals won a first place JACC award for this news photo of Shira Yevin (left), founder of Gritty in Pink during a protest organized by Women's March Foundation LA, Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights LA, and several other groups outside Los Angeles City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)
Caylo Seals won a first place JACC award for this news photo of Shira Yevin (left), founder of Gritty in Pink during a protest organized by Women's March Foundation LA, Rise Up 4 Abortion Rights LA, and several other groups outside Los Angeles City Hall in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., on Saturday, April 15, 2023. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)

Cebelihle Hlatshwayo, who is currently The Corsair’s editor-in-chief, started working at the outlet last semester “with no prior experience in newspaper writing.” “My primary concern,” she said, “was simply passing Journalism 16 (Producing the Campus Newspaper). Fast forward a year, and the work produced by myself and my peers is being recognized as some of the finest in student journalism across the board. To say I'm speechless would be an understatement!”

Hlatshwayo also added that the awards “serve as a reminder not only of my capabilities but also of the privilege I have in collaborating with immensely talented individuals who push both personal and societal boundaries to deliver work that is not only appreciated but also inspiring and uplifting.”

SMC journalism professor Samantha Nuñez said, “The Corsair students are consistently operating at the professional level. This is a direct result of the standard at which the faculty teach and mentor SMC’s journalism students.”

Photo adviser and photojournalism professor Gerard Burkhart added that “awards like these confirm my pride in their accomplishments!”

In addition to Nuñez and Burkhart, the Corsair advising team includes journalism professor Sharyn Obsatz. The Corsair staff produces a bi-weekly newspaper in the spring and fall semesters, currently available on issuu.com/corsair.website, online at thecorsaironline.com. Follow The Corsair on Instagram @corsairnews.

Santa Monica College is a California Community College accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC).

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