RWU Student Newspaper Earns Two National Honors at College Media Association Apple Awards

BRISTOL, R.I. - Roger Williams University's student newspaper, The Hawks' Herald, earned two second-place honors at the College Media Association's Apple Awards, a national competition recognizing excellence in student journalism and media production.

Often described as the "Best of Show" competition, the Apple Awards are judged by media professionals, and the winners are presented during the College Media Association's Spring National College Media Convention in New York City.

The Hawks' Heraldreceived second place in Division II for Best Crisis Coverage for its reporting on the Roger Williams University furlough announcement. The submission included print, video, and photography coverage created by Ryan Robertson '28, Brianna Frissora '27, and Sage Shuster-Wright '27. The category recognizes comprehensive and impactful coverage of a crisis affecting a campus or its surrounding community.

"Attending the CMA convention and being formally recognized in the Apple Awards was both an incredibly meaningful and surreal experience," said Robertson, Managing Editor of The Hawks' Heraldand double majoring in Creative Writingand English Literary Studies. "It showed that the work we're doing matters. We never set out to win an award when we write an article, but receiving this recognition affirms that we're producing work that is worthy of that level of acknowledgment."

"This award means so much to me considering I had just launched The Scoop, a broadcast segment of the Herald, last semester," said Brianna Frissora '27, The Hawks' HeraldFeatures Editor from Attleboro, Mass., and double majoring in Journalismand Creative Writing, with a minor in Visual Arts.

The publication also earned second place in Division II for Best Magazine Cover for The Hawks' Eye MagazineSpring 2025 issue. Judges evaluated both the visual design and written elements of the cover. The award-winning cover was designed by Sage Shuster-Wright '27 and Mason Fontaine '28.

"This year, we have made a lot of changes and improvements to the Herald, and these awards are proof that it was worth it," Frissora said. "This shows that the work we do with The Herald matters, and it is incredibly motivating for us to keep going and striving to do even better journalism work."

Several student staff members attended the convention and represented Roger Williams University, including News Editor Alexa Benson-Amarante '28; Sports Editor Dominic Paquette '26; Opinions Editor Alex Repass '26; Reporter Celeste Roberson '26; and Reporter Olivia Sorrell '28.

The recognition highlights the work of RWU's student journalists and designers, whose reporting and creative efforts continue to cover stories important to the campus community.