The Eastern Echo placed third in Division I in the Michigan Press Association’s 2025 College Better Newspaper Contest on April 23, 2026.
First place went to The State News, the student newspaper of Michigan State University, and second place was awarded to The Michigan Daily, the University of Michigan’s student newspaper.
Awards were presented to the top college papers in three divisions based on points accumulated in editorial contest categories.
In addition to the college newspaper awards, news publications across the state of Michigan were recognized for excellence in journalism with organizational and individual awards. The 2025 News Media Publication of the Year award was won by the Glen Arbor Sun Newspapers for local circulation and Bridge Michigan for statewide circulation. The Detroit News, the Traverse City Record-Eagle, the Kalamazoo Gazette and the Ludington Daily News all won first place in their respective circulation divisions for 2025 Newspaper of the Year.
Additional awards received by The Eastern Echo
The Echo was also honored with these additional awards:
First Place, Original Cartoon - Editorial or Entertainment: “Burnout, Apartment Shopping” by AJ Grams
Second Place, Original Cartoon - Editorial or Entertainment: “Virgin vs Chad,” “Guess Who,” “Slacking not Lacking” by Rylee Curley
Second Place, Best Writer: Elena Davis
Third Place, Column, Review or Blog, News: “EMU Theatre and the audience unite for the queer joy of ‘The Rocky Horror Show’” by Frank Remski
Third Place, Front Page Design: “Election Day” by Rylee Curley and Ameera Salman
Natalie Kyle, editor-in-chief of The Echo, and Lilly Kujawski, managing editor - news of The Echo, were honored as recipients of the 2025 Michigan Press Association Foundation scholarship.
Ameera Salman, former news editor and editor-in-chief of The Echo, and Kujawski received recognition for their participation in the 2025 Trott Foundation News Fellowship.
