The Agora, Monroe County Community College’s student newspaper, earned 30 awards and honors, including nine first-place finishes across four different nationwide and statewide contests.
The Agora won nine College Media Association Pinnacle awards during the CMA/ACP/SPJ MediaFest convention in October 2025 in Washington, D.C., six awards in the David L. Adams Apple Awards at the annual CMA Spring Conference in New York City, 12 awards in March at the Michigan Community College Press Association contest at Central Michigan University and three awards in April at the Michigan Collegiate Press Association contest.
Below is a complete listing of the awards.
CMA Pinnacle Awards (October 2025)
- Mick Valentino took first place for best feature photo.
- Mick Valentino and Maggie Sandefur took third place for best editorial.
- Reese Bowling took third place for best feature package (audio/video).
- Sidney Robison earned honorable mention for best feature photo package.
- Abby Carr earned honorable mention for best feature story (print/web).
- Reese Bowling earned honorable mention for best investigative story.
- Reese Bowling earned honorable mention for best column.
- Mick Valentino, Maggie Sandefur and Abby Carr earned honorable mention for coverage of diversity.
- The Agora earned honorable mention as periodic newspaper of the year.
CMA Apple Awards (March)
- Abby Carr and Maggie Robinson took first place for best crisis coverage.
- Jason Wilhelm took first place for best news photography.
- The Agora won second place for best newspaper.
- The Agora took third place for best editorial (Student Press Freedom Day editorial).
- Kathryn Ostrander took honorable mention for best multimedia package.
- The Agora website took honorable mention for best news website.
Michigan Community College Press Association at CMU (March)
- Kate Stephenson took first place for feature photo.
- Jason Wilhelm took first place for news photo.
- Sarah Reyna won first place for comics.
- Cyril Hajdu earned first place for profile.
- Sarah Reyna took second place for info graphic.
- Kate Stephenson took second place for profile.
- Abrielle DiFranco earned third place for profile.
- Maggie Robinson took third place for First Amendment reporting.
- Maggie Robinson won third place for headline writing.
- The staff took an honorable mention for front page design.
- The staff earned honorable mention for general design.
- The staff took honorable mention for general excellence.
Michigan Collegiate Press Association (April)
- Maggie Sandefur and Mick Valentino took first place for editorial writing.
- Mick Valentino earned first place for feature photography.
- Reese Bowling earned an honorable mention for investigative reporting.
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.