The student journalists behind Klipsun magazine at Western Washington University took home the top prize for student-produced magazines at the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication conference this summer, beating out entries from 22 universities in the United States and Canada.
The winning issue, titled "Language," was Klipsun's spring 2026 edition. Judges praised the publication for covering "critical topics with poise, clarity and punch," and noted that the issue was "as inclusive as the theme demands," with excellent headlines, strong imagery, and broad appeal beyond journalism students.
The Winning Issue and What It Covered
The "Language" edition of Klipsun tackled the theme from multiple angles, ranging from an exploration of the Whatcom Literacy Council's work in the local community to first-person essays about how language shapes cultural identity. One standout piece, written by Julieta Laros, examined the experience of Latino identity through the lens of Spanish fluency and won the top award in the essay category separately.
Judges called Laros's essay work, which combined personal reflection with extensive reporting, a piece that "reached or exceeded what many seasoned prize-winning journalists and writers can manage." The essay, titled "And so what if I am 'no sabo?'" addressed the complex relationship between language, culture, and belonging in a way that clearly resonated beyond the specific experience it described.
Editor-in-Chief Sophie Cadran's editor's letter also drew specific praise from AEJMC judges. In it, Cadran wrote: "Language is often treated as something that separates us. But what I hope you'll come to understand from this edition is that language stretches far beyond the binary of spoken words that are or aren't shared. It's our history, our culture, our identity and source of connection, overlapping in ways far beyond the barriers and borders the world puts between us."
The AEJMC Contest and Its Significance
The Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication is the leading academic organization for journalism and media education in North America. Its annual student magazine contest draws entries from journalism programs at universities across the United States and Canada, making a first-place finish genuinely competitive at an international level.
Runners-up for general excellence this year were produced by students at Toronto Metropolitan University, Kent State University, the University of Oregon, and Syracuse University. Those are programs with significant resources, strong reputations, and large faculty. Klipsun's win over that field is a meaningful achievement for a student publication at a public regional university in Bellingham.
Klipsun turns 57 this fall, making it one of the older continuously published student magazines in the Pacific Northwest. The publication is independent, meaning it operates editorially without direction from the university administration, and is affiliated with WWU's Department of Journalism, Public Relations and Multimedia. Students from any academic department at WWU may submit work to Klipsun, which is part of what gives the magazine its interdisciplinary range.
The Team Behind the Award
The award-winning Klipsun staff included Editor-in-Chief Sophie Cadran, Managing Editor Charlie Nunes, story editors Abby Milton, Allie Van Parys, Mary D'Arcy, and Claire Mayne, copy editor Sean Lynch, designers Grace Matson and Tom Dundas, and illustrator Royce Alton. Logan Schreiber, a journalism graduate and former Klipsun editor-in-chief, was also recognized.
Klipsun advisor and Associate Professor Peggy Watt praised the team's work in a statement released by WWU Communications. "This Klipsun team, experienced editors and writers alike, worked hard to produce a great issue that covered current events, history, social issues, personal stories and art," Watt said. "Their mission is to create an issue that speaks to the campus community and beyond, and they nailed it."
Nunes, who served as managing editor for the award-winning spring issue, has since moved into the editor-in-chief role for the fall 2026 issue of Klipsun, which will be distributed this fall. The cycle of student leadership at a publication like Klipsun means each year's editorial team inherits the reputation built by those before them and contributes to it for the next cohort.
What This Means for WWU Journalism
The AEJMC award arrives at a moment when WWU is receiving significant broader recognition. The same week Klipsun's award was announced, the university was ranked No. 1 for best value among Pacific Northwest regional universities by U.S. News and World Report, a signal that the institution is performing well across multiple dimensions of quality and impact.
For students considering journalism programs in the Pacific Northwest, Klipsun's international recognition is a concrete data point about the quality of the learning environment at WWU. Student publications that win at this level do so because they have faculty advisors who know how to teach the craft, editorial leadership that sets high standards, and institutional support for independent student journalism.
For more on recent WWU achievements, including the Best Value ranking and the university's academic expansion plans, see coverage of WWU's 2027 U.S. News rankings published today. The full Klipsun "Language" issue and information about submitting work to the magazine are available through Klipsun's website.
