Culver-Stockton’s Wildcat Wire earns three awards at Missouri College Media Association ceremony

CANTON, Mo. — The Wildcat Wire, Culver-Stockton College’s student newspaper, recently earned three awards at the Missouri College Media Association (MCMA) Awards ceremony — second place honors for best website and special section, and a third-place award for feature writing.

The Wildcat Wire took second place for best website in Division 3, which consists of 8-10 schools annually. Tyler Tomlinson, lecturer of communication and adviser to the Wildcat Wire, credited the student staff’s dedication for the recognition.

“The students’ dedication to increasing our volume and coverage was a big reason why they placed in this category,” Tomlinson said in a press release. “I’m proud of the work they did to clean up older sections and keep things up-to-date.”

Editor-in-Chief Libby Skaggs earned two honors. She won second place in the special section category for her story “My Classroom is Belize and Guatemala,” in which chronicled her experiences in Culver-Stockton’s three-week travel course.

“This story was so unique compared to the usual nominees,” Tomlinson said. “Libby’s piece was honest and interesting, highlighting an opportunity that’s special to C-SC.”

Skaggs also placed third in feature writing for her article, “Culver-Stockton College Welcomes its 28th President.” Tomlinson praised her professionalism and storytelling ability.

“Libby remained professional in her coverage while capturing the essence of the situation,” he said. “She is a naturally skilled writer with a good pulse on the campus.”

Tomlinson also acknowledged the contributions of other student staff members, particularly Halle Jennex, who played a role in upgrading and maintaining the website.

“Our entire student staff should be credited with this honor,” Tomlinson said. “The landscape of online journalism moves quickly, and our students have adjusted well by focusing on deeper, unique perspectives that campus readers want to consume.”

Tomlinson emphasized that while the recognition is rewarding, the staff sees it as a foundation for future growth.

“We know we are on the road to being even better,” he said. “Our staff has grown a lot in the last year, and we are putting together much stronger pieces. The students are excited to see how much better we can get going into the 2025-26 school year.”

Visit the Wildcat Wire at https://wildcatwire.culver.edu/.

The MCMA awards represent a measure of excellence for college journalism in Missouri. The organization, dedicated to college newspapers and yearbooks in the state, offers the only formal opportunity to compare work among peer institutions.