Chatham Student News Outlet, The Communiqué, Wins Six National Awards
The staff of the Communiqué, Chatham University’s student-run media outlet, won six awards last week at the 2026 College Media Association’s national spring conference in New York City.
The Communiqué staff earned six Apple Awards, including:
Best Opinion Column (Division III: Four-Year Programs with Fewer Than 3,000 Students) | First Place
Rudy Bilger ’28
Best News Photography (Division III) | First Place
Kyle Ferreira ’25
Best Social Media Coverage of a Single Event (Division III) | Second Place
Communiqué staff coverage of Chatham Student Government Town Hall
Best Feature Photography (Division III) | Second Place
Sarah Naccarato ’26
Best Crisis Coverage (Division III) | Third Place
Communiqué staff coverage of impacts of Trump administration executive orders on campus community
Best Newspaper (Division III) | Honorable Mention
Communiqué staff
“I’m so incredibly proud of our staff for all of the hard work and love that we pour into making content for the Chatham community,” said Communiqué Editor-in-Chief Bella White. “Though awards are not everything, it is incredibly exciting to earn national recognition for the work that we do.”
This year’s Apple Awards garnered more than 460 entries across all categories from student media outlets throughout the U.S. Seven undergraduate students represented the Communiqué at the conference in Times Square, which ran from March 5 to March 7.
“The College Media Association brings together the best of the best in collegiate student media,” said Assistant Professor of Communication and Communiqué adviser Sara Bauknecht. “The Communiqué’s ability to be competitive at the national level is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and creativity of its student leaders and staff, as well as to the rigor and strength of Chatham University’s liberal arts education.”
The Apple Awards recognize outstanding achievements as the “Best of Show” at the annual CMA spring conference and are named in honor of David L. Adams, a dedicated and influential figure in the College Media Association and a longtime adviser at Indiana University who died in 2007.
About the Communiqué
The Communiqué is Chatham University’s student-run news outlet. Its goal is to provide relevant, accurate news pertaining to the Chatham community. Coverage also includes sports, culture, and student opinions. Together, the staff of reporters, editors, photographers, and designers strives to share a snapshot of what life is like at Chatham and to promote thoughtful discourse across campus.
See chathamcommunique.com or follow the Communiqué on Instagram at @communique_cu.