UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Propelled by top finishes in every aspect of a statewide media competition for college students, Penn State students piled up 15 first-place finishes and earned the overall Sweepstakes Award for their division of the 2026 Student Keystone Media Awards.
Penn State competes in Division I of the annual competition conducted by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association. The division includes four-year colleges and universities with enrollments of 10,000 or more students.
Success in this year’s competition included top finishes in divisions for multimedia, photo, print and television. Penn State Student Media, the overarching organization for content produced by students in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, drove much of the success and the Daily Collegian also contributed several top finishes.
Overall, Penn State recorded 15 first-place finishes while Penn State Student Media earned the competition’s Sweepstakes Award, which recognizes outlets earning the highest total points in each division.
Penn State’s first-place finishers were:
- Ongoing News Coverage, The Daily Collegian
- Feature Story, "‘We Are, but why am I not?’"
- First Place, Personality Profile: "The Yodeling Cowboy who still races spring cars past 90"
- First Place, Sports Story: "Time Out"
- First Place, Sports Photo: "Sack Celebration"
- First Place, Feature Photo: "Night to Shine"
- First Place, News Photo: "Philadelphia Eagles fans celebrate Super Bowl victory
- First Place, Photo Story: "Keeping history alive"
- First Place, Video Story: "A night in the car"
- First Place, Podcast: Lions Adapt-Episode 2 / “The Indomitable Israeli”
- First Place, Best Newscast: “Centre County Report” / Oct. 24, 2025
- First Place, Best Spot News Coverage: “What’s next for Penn State football?”
- First Place, Best Feature: “Beloved mailman delivers decades of memories”
- First Place, Best Public Service: “SCI Rockview’s potential closure”
- First Place, Best Sports Coverage: “Penn State deals with coaching changes and challenges”
All students will be honored April 14 during the Student Keystone Media Award Event at the Best Western Premier in Harrisburg.