College Heights Herald, Talisman, Cherry Creative and Advertising continue string of national honors no other university can match
WKU Student Publications has had an incredible run of excellence over the past five academic years, winning 13 national Pacemaker awards — more than any other student-media program and the most we’ve won in any five years.
That string of Pacemakers took place during a remarkably challenging period, the years following the start of the global coronavirus pandemic, which changed nearly everything for the students involved in the program during that period.
The Pacemakers, awarded by Associated Collegiate Press, cover all four student-led areas represented by Student Publications — Talisman, the College Heights Herald, Student Publications Advertising and Cherry Creative.
Eight of those Pacemakers went to the Herald, covering all four categories the news organization is eligible to enter. Two went to Talisman, for print and online; one went to Cherry for innovation; and Cherry and Advertising shared two Student Media Business Pacemakers.
Four times in the past five years, Student Publications has won three Pacemakers — in 2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
The string of 13 top honors brings to 50 the total number of Pacemakers won by Student Publications since Talisman won its first in 1978 and the Herald in 1981.
WKU also had 10 additional Pacemaker Finalists since 2020-21:
• 2020-21: Newspaper for the Herald, Online for Talisman.
• 2021-22: Online for Talisman.
• 2022-23: Multiplatform for the Herald, Multiplatform for Talisman, Magazine for Talisman.
• 2023-24: Newsmagazine for the Herald, Online for the Herald.
• 2024-25: Innovation for the Herald, Online for the Herald.