Cal State LA’s journalism students and staff are finalists for 10 awards in the Los Angeles Press Club’s 67th Southern California Journalism Awards. Six of the awards are in the Student Media categories, and the other four are in Professional Media.
“It shows everybody on our team that we’re doing important work,” said Jackson Tammariello, who for the previous year served as managing editor of the University Times, the student newspaper and website. “There are working professionals in the industry who recognize the work, the deadlines we go through, the late nights, and sometimes literal blood, sweat, and tears. They see that we’re worth being honored in some way, whether it’s making a nomination list or even potentially winning. It shows that student media and student journalists are more important than ever.”
The awards will be handed out at the press club’s annual awards dinner on Sunday, June 22, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.
University Times publishes its print edition every other Wednesday. The publication operated on a skeletal crew of about 20 students during both the fall and spring semesters. By necessity, the student staffers had to adapt and take on different responsibilities—as an editor, reporter, photographer, social media content creator, or any other role that was needed—to get the news out in a timely manner.
“We had a listing of who’s who and which position each person filled in our staff, but everybody had to juggle different positions at one point. That’s just the nature of student media,” said Tammariello, who received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism in May.
For the Student Media categories, Cal State LA is a finalist for Best College News Website; Best News Writing, Campus Issues; Best News Writing, Off Campus Issues; Best Feature Writing, Campus Issues; Best TV or Stream Reporting; and Best Radio or Podcast Reporting.
The university is also vying for awards in the Professional Media categories of Blog, Group; Best Use of Social Media to Enhance and/or Cover a Story by a Group; Columnist, Current Events; and News Feature.
Cal State LA faces a tough field in the latter categories, whose finalists also include the Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, IndieWire, LA Public Press, KCRW, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The LA Press Club received more than 2,500 nominations this year, the most in the awards’ history.
This year’s ceremony will honor Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke with the Joseph M. Quinn Award for Lifetime Achievement; CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward with the Daniel Pearl Award for Courage and Integrity in Journalism; and actor, writer, director, producer, activist, and champion of social issues Kim Fields with the Bill Rosendahl Public Service Award for Contributions to Civic Life.
The 2025 Cal State LA finalists follow:
STUDENT MEDIA CATEGORIES
- Best College News Website: Cal State LA’s University Times — Sasha Funes, Jackson Tammariello, Anne To, Xavier Zamora, Tristan Longwell
- Best News Writing, Campus Issues: Anne To, Cal State LA’s University Times, “CSU faculty strike ends after one day – but not everyone is happy about it”
- Best News Writing, Off Campus Issues – Print or Online: Tupac Zapata, Cal State LA’’s University Times Community News, “Student breaks news of famed Cafe Tropical re-opening”
- Best Feature Writing, Campus Issues – Print or Online: Marcos Franco, Cal State LA’’s University Times, “Cal State LA Latino students reflect on mental health, cultural stigmas”
- Best TV or Stream Reporting: Social Media Storytelling Team, Cal State LA’’s University Times Community News, “Los Angeles’ Latinx Landmarks”
- Best Radio or Podcast Reporting: Cal State LA’s Race, Class & Gender in American Journalism team & UT Community News, “Mixed: SoCal Stories of Divisions & Belonging”
PROFESSIONAL MEDIA CATEGORIES
- Blog, Group: Voter Guide — Cal State LA’s UT Community News Staff with Boyle Heights Beat & CALÓ News Staff
- Best Use of Social Media to Enhance and/or Cover a Story by a Group: “LA’s Latinx Landmarks” — Cal State LA’s Social Media Storytelling Team, Cal State LA’s UT Community News, CALÓ News & LA Times’ De Los
- Columnist, Current Events: Julie Patel Liss’ commentaries, “Cal State LA Community News Hour” on KPFK 90.7 FM
- New s Feature: April Brown, “Words Uncaged” interview, “Cal State LA Community News Hour” on KPFK 90.7 FM
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California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 24,000 students and has more than 250,000 distinguished alumni.
