Every year, colleges from around the USA send their best journalism students to be a part of MediaFest, a national conference organized by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), the Associated Collegiate Press (ACP), and the College Media Association (CMA). The conference is set up to teach aspiring journalists and to recognize their work, highlighting the best of the best in college media. Last week, BYU–Hawaii sent seven Ke Alaka’i team members, accompanied by Marketing and Communications director, Brooke Peterson, and digital communications manager, Leilani Guerrero. Ke Alaka’i has been attending the conference for the past eight years, but for several students, this was their first time.
For France Valerie Lucillo, a junior from the Philippines who is double majoring in communications, media and culture and intercultural peacebuilding, it was a new experience.
“Although this was my first time attending, Ke Alaka’i has been part of conferences like this for years. I have always admired how the team has consistently shown up, year after year, representing BYU–Hawaii with excellence,” shares Lucillo.
Lucillo is one of the many talented writers Ke Alaka’i has in their arsenal, and her work has been featured in many past issues.
Acknowledgements and Accolades
At MediaFest 2025, Ke Alaka’i received multiple awards and several honorable mentions. Ice Cesario, a student from the Philippines majoring in graphic design who also works as a graphic designer for Ke Alaka’i, found it to be a momentous occasion.
“When we first found out that we were finalists, we were already thrilled. But hearing our names announced as winners at the Associated Collegiate Press awards ceremony was something else entirely. My heart was pounding the whole time,” shares Cesario, “All the late nights, teamwork, and creative struggles suddenly felt worth it. It was amazing to be recognized for the work we put so much heart into, especially in the field of journalism and design.”
Cesario worked on the layout of this year’s magazine issues, and his work was acknowledged when they won first place in the Interactive/Motion Infographic category and third place in the Infographic category in the CMA Pinnacle Awards and an honorable mention in the Interactive Graphic category in the ACP Individual Awards.
Ke Alaka’i earned top honors in the College Media Association's Pinnacle Awards, taking first place in Feature Multimedia Package, Interactive/Motion Infographic, and Special Section; second in Feature Magazine of the Year, Feature Package (audio/video), Long Documentary, and Video Entertainment Program; and third in A&E Story (audio/video), Infographic, and Special Section Cover. The team also received honorable mentions for Magazine Spread, Creative Film, and General News Multimedia Coverage, highlighting their excellence across diverse media formats.
In the Associated Collegiate Press Individual Awards, the team received third place for Magazine Cover (winter 2025 issue by Guen Ramirez Platon) and Magazine Page/Spread (The Heart of Storytelling: Compiling Kula Manu by Cho “Ben” Yong Fai and Moevai Tefan). For Multimedia Story of the Year, Abigail Adams received an honorable mention for Golden State Warriors Meet Rainbow State Seasiders. Ice Cesario, Gene Cymmer Ramirez, and Samantha Satorre earned two honorable mentions in the Interactive Graphic category (Laniakea and Our Remedies to Cosmic Loneliness and The Immense Heaven, Laniakea). Winslette Quiray-Santiago earned an honorable mention in the Local Climate Change Reporting category for Restoring Coral Reefs and Lowland Forests.
Adviser of the Year
LeeAnn Lambert left a lasting legacy as a mentor and leader to the Ke Alaka'i team. She served as adviser for Ke Alaka'i as well as a communications professor at BYU–Hawaii for 25 years. She played a key role in developing and elevating Ke Alaka'i from a student newspaper to an award-winning magazine. So monumental were her contributions that the Ke Alaka’i team has been trying to get her nominated at MediaFest for years. Lambert would constantly laugh it off and say that working for the school and building up a reputable magazine were all the accolades she ever needed.
This year at MediaFest 2025, Lambert's hard work was finally recognized on a national level as she walked home with an award for Adviser of the Year in her division. Lambert has not only helped her team utilize their talents to the best of their ability but also helped mold them to represent BYU–Hawaii and Ke Alaka'i with excellence and integrity. Her lasting impressions will be echoed on the pages of Ke Alaka'i for years to come.
Exceeding the Standard
With such accomplishments, Ke Alaka’i has proven itself again to be a leader in the world of college journalism. But to get to that level isn’t easy. Ke Alaka’i’s primary goal is to share stories that help inspire and uplift its readers. As the school magazine, they believe their most significant achievement is that their readers feel represented in a school with a diverse student population. The number of stories to be told is endless. Ke Alaka’i has taken responsibility for highlighting some of the students and their stories because they believe it will inspire others. Despite the awards being garnered, the Ke Alaka’i team believes there’s more to be done.
When asked about how their wins reflect their work, Lucillo shared, “Winning awards doesn’t change how we work; it motivates us to keep improving. “Success isn’t the end goal; it’s a reminder that people are reading, learning, and being inspired by what we create, and that pushes us to stay united, collaborative, and focused on telling stories that matter.”