The Eastern Echo received the 2023 College Newspaper of the Year award in the 2023 College Better Newspaper contest.
The Echo was presented with the honor at the Michigan Press Association's Salute to Journalism dinner March 14, 2024, at Saint John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. The award dinner was the first in-person ceremony hosted by the press association since 2019.
The award is presented to the top college in three divisions based on publication size. The overall award is given to the publication that earns the most accumulated points in all editorial categories of the newspaper contest. The Eastern Echo was recognized in the following categories in Division 1, with Division 1 being categorized as newspapers that publish more than weekly.
Best Writer
Second Place: Marie White
Third Place: Aaron Hughes
Column- Review or Blog- News
Honorable Mention: “Opinion: Black artists long owed their recognition” by Aaron Hughes
Investigative Reporting
Second Place: “Loss of parking structure spots fuels student commuter complaints” by Marie White
Front Page Design
First Place: “Lecturers rally for a new contract” by Kasey Deschler
Second Place: “Student Government elections” by Kasey Deschler
Third Place: “River Day” by Marq Stafford
Honorable Mention: “Halloween edition” by Marq Stafford
Non-Front Page Design
First Place: “Valentine’s Day News” by Kasey Deschler
Second Place: “Sports: Eagles soar” by Kasey Deschler, Blake McQueary
Original Cartoon-Editorial or Entertainment
First Place: Rylee Curley
Sports News/Features
First Place: “Daiquan White: Born a dawg” by Blake McQueary
Second Place: “From tumbling to trending: EMU cheerleader gains 2.4 million views on recent TikTok” by Mackenzie Thompson
Third Place: “Makhail Wood: A Record-Breaking Talent” by Blake McQueary
The press association was established in 1868 to promote press freedom through its various works. Some of the association's main objectives include promoting the usefulness of newspapers, defending free speech, and maintaining a high standard of ethics in the newspaper industry. The association includes more than 320 members across Michigan.
