John Brown University’s Threefold Advocate staff attended the annual Arkansas College Media Association conference at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia on April 11th. ACMA aims to honor outstanding collegiate media across the state, encompassing physical and digital newspapers, magazines, yearbooks, websites, social media, TV and broadcast stations, as well as podcasts produced by Arkansas colleges.

During the conference, staff members had the opportunity to participate in various panels and discussions led by guest speakers from organizations like the Arkansas Business Publishing Group and the Society of Professional Journalists. The topics covered a broad range, from the role of AI in reporting to insights into careers in digital marketing.

“I enjoyed being able to hear from a couple of different freelance journalists who had a lot of experience in the field because that is something I’d be really interested in doing in the future,” commented student Adeline Gruen, who works as the copy desk chief for the Threefold Advocate.

The conference also included a luncheon and awards ceremony, during which JBU received eight awards. Gruen, as well as student Chase Wilson, secured third place awards in the Online Sports Writing and Online Reviews-Arts & Entertainment categories, respectively. The Threefold Advocate staff was also awarded with an honorable mention for the Online Election/Political category.

“I was really honored to be given the award, especially since this was my first time competing at a collegiate level,” mentioned Gruen.

Additionally, Ari Yam, a JBU student, received second and third place awards in the Online Art & Illustration category for the second year in a row for his contributions to the Threefold Advocate’s backpages. Yam also received an honorable mention award for the General Excellence Designer of the Year category.

The Threefold Advocate’s social media presence was also recognized, with students Alexandra Castillo and Sofia Santana receiving two awards for their outstanding work on the newspaper’s Instagram page.

Faculty advisor Melissa Varner described her optimism for the future of the newspaper, recognizing the effort the students have put in throughout the last year. “I’m so proud of the students’ work over the past year. It was a joy to see them be recognized for what they’ve done at the Threefold Advocate, and I’m confident that even more awards will be won next year.”