Hillsdale College Students Win State Broadcasting Awards

Hillsdale students took first place in six categories in the Michigan Student Broadcast Awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters.

Download Press Release

HILLSDALE, Mich. — Hillsdale College students took first place in six categories in the Michigan Student Broadcast Awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, and WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM was named College Audio Station of the Year. Winners were announced on March 20 at the Student Awards Luncheon in Lansing.

“They consistently produce excellent content, and these awards are a testament to their skill and creativity.”

“It is exciting to see our students’ work recognized once again,” said Scot Bertram, general manager at WRFH. “They consistently produce excellent content, and these awards are a testament to their skill and creativity.”

WRFH was named College Audio Station of the Year for the third consecutive year and fourth time since 2019.

FIRST PLACE

Stephanie Zamora ’27, Hershey Athysivam ’27: Current Events Story (“In Media Res: The Chevron Doctrine”)

Quinn Delamater ’26: Editorial (“A Minute with Quinn”)

Gwen Thompson ’25: Music Feature or Special (“The Timbrel and the Lyre”)

Hana Connelly ’26: News Feature – Sponsored by the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission (“Human Trafficking: A Growing Scourge”)

Gavin Listro ’25, Michaela Estruth ’25: On-Air Personality or Team (“This Week in History”)

Evan Mick ’26: Sports Feature (“Getting to the Game”)

SECOND PLACE

Lauren Smyth ’25: Daily Newscast/News Feature (“Astro Minute: Solar Eclipse”)

Evan Mick ’26: Sports Feature (“Former Chargers: Isaac TeSlaa”)

George Accola ’25, Paul Marchitti ’25, Matthew Karten ’25: Sportscast (“Bleacher Boys”)

HONORABLE MENTION (THIRD PLACE)

Thomas McKenna ’26, Catherine Maxwell ’26: Current Events Story (“Overcrowding at Hillsdale’s Jail”)

Ariel McDowell ’27: Editorial (“A Food Fight”)

Gavin Listro ’25, Ally Hall ’25, Bella Dix ’25: Music Feature or Special (“I’ve Got Aux”)

Evan Mick ’26: Sports Feature (“Sibling Rivalry: College Football Edition”)

Bella Dix ’25, Carissa Nisly ’26: Use of Social Media (WRFH Social Media)

WRFH is the student-run radio station of Hillsdale College. Since its founding in 2016, students have created thousands of hours of content and hundreds of episodes of radio shows on topics from sports and politics to poetry and astronomy. Hillsdale students and WRFH have earned eight first-place awards from Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems, 31 from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters, and seven from Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc.

About Hillsdale College

Hillsdale College is an independent liberal arts college located in southern Michigan. Founded in 1844, the College has built a national reputation through its classical liberal arts core curriculum and its principled refusal to accept federal or state taxpayer subsidies, even indirectly in the form of student grants or loans. It also conducts an outreach effort promoting civil and religious liberty, including a free monthly speech digest, Imprimis, with a circulation of more than 7.5 million. For more information, visit hillsdale.edu.

# # #

Media inquiries may be directed to:
Emily Stack Davis
517-607-2730 (work)
517-803-3745 (cell)
[email protected]
For all other inquiries contact Hillsdale College at 517-437-7341.