Kent State Student Media is proud to announce that The Kent Stater earned First Place in News Coverage (Division A) at the 2025 Ohio Collegiate Newspaper and Best Website Awards, hosted by the Ohio News Media Association (ONMA). Now in its 16th year, the competition recognized outstanding work from 16 collegiate newspapers across Ohio, divided into two divisions based on undergraduate enrollment.
Division A includes universities with more than 10,000 students, placing The Kent Stater among the state’s most competitive programs. Judges praised the publication for its “good mix of harder news stories and news stories that affect students’ lives directly,” highlighting coverage such as guides to voting in Ohio and low-risk investing for college students. “The Kent Stater keeps its readers informed on a number of levels,” the judges noted. “The paper has a strong variety of articles.”
Alton Northup, now former News Director of The Kent Stater, shared his pride in the team’s work:
"I could not be more proud of this team. They embraced every change our rebrand brought. Along the way, they've reinforced our commitment to the Kent community.
It's no joke when I say this has been the most news-heavy year for this staff. Thanks to that hard work, we beat out schools like The Ohio State University, Youngstown State University, Bowling Green State University and Ohio University."
This achievement reflects the dedication and journalistic excellence that define Kent State Student Media.