Amarillo College Student Media has received two prestigious national awards for the student magazine “The Current”. The awards were announced at the Associated Collegiate Press / College Media Association Virtual Fall National Convention on October 14-15.

The Summer 2020 issue of “The Current” received a Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press. This award, commonly referred to as the “Pulitzer Prize for College Journalism,” recognizes the best student work among the organization’s more than 570 member colleges and universities. Entries are judged by professional teams based on coverage and content, quality of writing and reporting, leadership, design, photography and graphics. This is the fourth Pacemaker Award that “The Current” has received.

Lauren Ebben, editor-in-chief of the Summer 2020 issue, said the award is all the more meaningful given that the entire magazine was created working remotely.

“This is an incredible victory for Amarillo College Student Media and I am incredibly proud and honored to be a part of this publication,” said Ebben. “Our intention was to give members of the AC community a way to express their feelings during this difficult time. We were able to capture a snapshot that documented those feelings and offered a bit of positivity. “

Other members of Ebben’s team included Jenna Gibson, art director, Caylee Hanna, page designer, and Stormie Sanchez, writer.

A day after Pacemaker’s victory, the Spring 2021 issue of “The Current” received the College Media Association’s first Pinnacle Award. The issue, which focused on the theme of creativity, was recognized as “Magazine of the Year for Two Years”. This is the third Pinnacle Award that “The Current” has received and the first Pinnacle for edition co-editors Taylor Burton and Eden Waters.

“We are touched and honored by this recognition,” said Jill Gibson, chair of AC’s Media, Arts and Communications Department. “The fact that our students’ work shines in a national arena shows the strength of the education they receive at AC. “

Gibson, Maddisun Fowler, student media coordinator, and Derek Weathersbee, graphics instructor, advise the magazine’s teams. The next issue will be released in December and will celebrate the 50th anniversary of “The Current” magazine.

-Amarillo College