The Agora, Monroe County Community College’s student newspaper, earned a bevy of awards and honors during the recently completed academic year, including seven first-place finishes across four different nationwide and statewide contests.
The Agora earned five College Media Association Pinnacle awards at the CMA/ACP convention in October 2024 in New Orleans, four awards in March in the CMA David L. Adams Apple Awards contest at the annual CMA Spring Conference in New York City, 13 awards in April at the Michigan Community College Press Association contest at Central Michigan University and three awards in the MCPA contest in May.
The newspaper also won two special photography contests entered by Dana Willi. One of her photos was selected by the Michigan Press Association for its 2025-2026 Member Directory. She also took third place in the ProCon Shootout in New York City in conjunction withe the CMA conference in May.
Below is a complete listing of the awards.
CMA Pinnacle Awards (October 2024)
• Reese Bowling took first place for best breaking news coverage of diversity.
• David Topolewski took first place for best game story.
• Ashley Atkins took third place for best profile.
• Reese Bowling earned an honorable mention for best portrait.
• The Agora earned an honorable mention for best college media group for two-year colleges.
CMA Apple Awards (March)
• Mick Valentino and Maggie Sandefur took first place for best editorial.
• Reese Bowling earned second place for best crisis coverage.
• Mick Valentino earned second place for best opinion column.
• The Agora earned third place for best newspaper.
Michigan Community College Press Association at CMU
• Mick Valentino took first place for personality profile.
• David Topolewski took first place for sports news story.
• Reese Bowling earned second place for in-depth enterprise reporting and news story.
• The Agora earned third place for general excellence.
• The Agora earned third place for editorial.
• Sidney Robison earned third place for critical review.
• Reese Bowling earned third place for serious column.
• Kennedy Bowling took third place for personality profile.
• Reese Bowling earned an honorable mention for video/audio production and photo essay/digital slideshow.
• The staff earned an honorable mention for headline writing.
• Mick Valentino earned an honorable mention for feature photo.
Michigan Collegiate Press Association (May Contest)
• Maggie Sandefur took first place for front page design.
• Mick Valentino took first place for column writing.
• Ashley Atkins earned third place for feature story.
About Monroe County Community College
Founded in 1964, Monroe County Community College is a public, two-year institution supported by tax monies from Monroe County, educational funds from the State of Michigan and student tuition. The college’s mission is to enrich lives in the community by providing opportunity through student-focused, affordable, quality higher education and other learning experiences. The Main Campus is located at 1555 South Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich., 48161, with easy access to Toledo and Detroit. The Whitman Center is located at 7777 Lewis Ave., Temperance, Mich., 48182, near the Ohio-Michigan Border. Detailed information about MCCC is available at www.monroeccc.edu.