The student-led newspaper took home 30 honors last month, competing against student newspapers from across the state.
Schoolcraft College student journalists took home plenty of accolades this spring.
The Schoolcraft Connection, the College’s student newspaper, received 10 awards in the 2025 Michigan Press Association Better College Newspaper Awards this spring during the MPA’s 2026 Convention held in East Lansing last month. The awards were given for work published from Aug. 1, 2024 through July 31, 2025.
In addition, the Connection staff also received 20 awards from the Michigan Community College Press Awards in March in Mount Pleasant.
Several individual students received awards in areas such as Sports News/Feature, non-front page design, Best News Photo, Photo Essay and more. Former editor-in-chief Jess Michael, a 2025 graduate, received three MPA awards for her reporting. Olivia Lambert, this past year’s editor-in-chief, earned three MCCPA awards for her work.
Students competed against other Michigan two-year college publications in the MPA awards, as well as college newspapers publishing less than weekly. The MCCPA awards are given out among the state’s community colleges.
The newspaper also placed third for online newspaper in the MPA awards, competing against other two- and four-year schools in the state.
“Our students put in tremendous work this year, and these awards are a testament to their dedication and commitment to the Schoolcraft College community,” said Rena Laverty, advisor for The Schoolcraft Connection. “Their journalism this past year has been outstanding, and I’m proud of each of them.”
List of Awards
Michigan Press Association Better College Newspaper Awards
First Place
- Column/Review/Blog (News): “Pranked for the prize” by Izabella Allie
- Single Ad: Connection Staff
Second Place
- Sports News/Feature: “The heart of a runner” by Jess Michael
- Non-Front Page Design: Pili Estevez
- Column/Review/Blog (News): “Open heart, open mind” by Jess Michael
- Single Ad: Pili Estevez
Third Place
- Online Newspaper: Connection Staff
Honorable Mention
- Best News Photo: Cameron Weller
- News Story: “Culinary shining star” by Jess Michael
- Editorial: Staff
Michigan Community College Press Association Awards
First place
- General Excellence: Connection Staff
- Headline Writing: Olivia Lambert
- Sports Column: Eduardo Niehues
- Sports Feature: Eduardo Niehues
- Inside Page Design: Andrew Husken
Second place
- Multimedia Reporting: Madison DeNoyer/Josh Parrinello
- Photo Essay: David Grant
- Sports News Photo: Camille Jamison
- Editorial: Connection Staff
- Headline Writing: Joseph LoSchiavo
- News Website: Connection Staff
Third place
- Overall Newspaper Design: Connection Staff
- News Photo: Josh Parrinello
- Sports News Photo: Josh Parrinello
- Editorial: Connection Staff
Honorable Mention
- Inside Page Design: Rachel Husken
- Front Page Design: Pili Estevez/Andrew Husken
- Multimedia Reporting: Josh Parrinello/Olivia Lambert
- Editorial: Connection Staff
- Feature Story: Olivia Lambert
