New Adviser Handbook is live!

CMA is excited to announce the updated New Adviser Handbook and Supplemental Resources are now live on our website! Log into your member profile to access the handbook on the member home page. Whether you are new to advising student media or just ready to sharpen your approach, this comprehensive guide is designed to help you get started or elevate your practice. Available at no charge for all CMA members, the handbook offers practical guidance, foundational strategies and real-world insights to support advisers at every stage.

NYC Media Tours

Documentary Screening

Hotel Information

Keynote Speaker Announcement

College Media Association and the Student Press Law Center are excited to announce the 2026 Louis E. Ingelhart award recipients.

Happy New Year from College Media Association! We hope your holiday break was both enjoyable and restorative. As you prepare to begin the Spring 2026 semester, please keep these CMA updates in mind:

Applications open today for our Louis E. Ingelhart First Amendment Program, which provides money for advisers to plan programs for Student Press Freedom Day in 2026.

MediaFest25 in Washington, D.C. is less than 10 days away, but we are already planning CMA’s spring convention at the Marriott Marquis in New York City.

The Pinnacle Awards are CMA’s flagship national honors, recognizing the best student work in collegiate journalism, media production and organizational excellence. Winners are selected by a panel of experienced media professors and educators. The 2025 Pinnacle Awards were presented at MediaFest25, October 16-18, 2025 in Washington, D.C. This year, we had a total of 3,358 entries and 1,165 finalists across 8 categories.

Congratulations to the 2025 recipients of CMA’s annual Adviser Awards! A total of 15 advisers will be honored this year during special ceremonies at MediaFest25 next month in Washington, D.C.

The College Media Association will honor the memory and legacy of beloved colleague Kelley Lash, longtime adviser of the Rice Thresher and a past CMA president, with her posthumous induction into the John A. Boyd Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at MediaFest25 next month in Washington, D.C.

We know how much work goes into producing student media that is meaningful to our communities, and we commend everyone for putting in the time and effort it takes to submit contest entries this year. A complete list of finalists can be viewed here.

Confabs continue to deliver timely, practical conversations for student media advisers, educators, and college media professionals. Held live online on the third Wednesday of each month at 5 PM EST, these interactive sessions bring together experienced presenters and engaged participants from across the country.

The nation’s largest media convention for professionals and college students, MediaFest 25, will take place October 15-18 at the Grand Hyatt Washington. Hosted in the heart of the nation’s capital, just a short walk from iconic landmarks, including the National Mall, Smithsonian Museums, White House, and Washington Monument.