By JENNA GIBSON, Ranger Reporter:
Amarillo College Student Media has won a prestigious national award. On Saturday, Oct. 21, the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP) awarded AC with the Pacemaker for overall excellence in student media in the magazine category.
The fall 2015 issue of “AC Current,” a bi-yearly student-created magazine that began in the fall of 1971, received the recognition.
Former adviser and instructor, Mike Haynes, said he has known about this award since he was a student publications adviser at Texas Tech in the 1980s. “It wouldn’t be going too far to say that for student media, it’s similar to the Pulitzer for professional journalists,” Haynes said.
The staff for the winning magazine included recent AC alumni Jp Bernal, Denisha Kranthoven and Bethany Zalman.
“Being recognized on a national level feels great. We were very particular about the look and feel of the magazine and I’m glad that our hard work paid off. Working with Jp and Bethany was definitely a highlight of my time at Amarillo College,” Kranthoven said. She has recently moved to California and is working as a designer/copy editor for the Bay Area News Group.
Since graduating, Zalman has served as a freelance graphic designer at places such as Amarillo National Bank, UPS and Mission Amarillo. “I am so proud to represent Amarillo and to have the opportunity to show how amazing the programs and staff are at Amarillo College. We showed that AC is able to compete competitively with other colleges and universities,” Zalman said.
Bernal, who is now working as a graphic artist for a marketing agency, said, “I’m thankful to have been a part of that team. Denisha and Bethany were great to work with. I’m glad that this happened while Mike Haynes was there. He deserves it. I hope that AC continues to prove itself as a contender in any field amongst universities across the nation.”
Haynes said he is proud of the students’ achievement. “Denisha, Bethany and Jp are really talented students who knew what would looked good and what content would be compelling in a magazine. I just feel great for them and the other students who contributed,” Haynes said.
Coordinator of the Matney Mass Media Program and associate dean of the school of Creative Arts, Jill Gibson, called the award “a validation that we are providing students with the proper training and opportunities.”
Haynes and Gibson also acknowledged that the magazine would not be possible without the support of Tony Freeman at Trafton Cenveo Printing where the magazine was printed. The fall 2016 “AC Current” will be on stands at the end of this semester.
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