The Mirror News wins 21 awards from the MPA, including top community college newspaper in Michigan

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Olivia Draus cover illustration of a large cellphone with a photo of the Palestine flag and war, with people standing around the phone.
This artwork by HFC alumna Olivia Draus is the front-page design that won third place for the cover story, “MENA Students Reflect on the Crises in Gaza and Lebanon.”

HFC’s student-run newspaper, The Mirror News, won a record 21 awards for the 2024-25 academic year at the Michigan Press Association (MPA)’s Better Newspaper Contest – including the 2025 “College Newspaper of the Year” in Division 3. The MPA conference and awards ceremony were held at Michigan State University in late April.

Winning these 21 awards occurred on the heels of The Mirror News winning a record 40 awards at the 47th annual Michigan Community College Press Association (MCCPA) Conference for the 2025-26 academic year in late March. This is the most awards the newspaper has won in a single year from the MPA, noted HFC English instructor and The Mirror News faculty advisor Dr. Peter Kim.

“In addition to winning the most awards from the MCCPA, for the students to also win the most awards they’ve won from the MPA shows what a stellar group of student journalists we’ve had in the past two years. Truly a remarkable accomplishment!” said Kim. “The MPA awards work was completed in the prior academic year, so being recognized for newspaper of the year by both the MPA for last year and by the MCCPA for this year shows the continuity of excellence among our student staff. We truly have some of the most talented writers, graphic artists, and student journalists in the state. I couldn’t be prouder!”

Setting the bar high

HFC alumna Buchi-Nkem (pronounced “BOO-chie n-KEM”) Elizabeth Ezeoke ("ee-ZO-kay") was an award-winning staff writer for The Mirror News during the 2024-25 academic year. Ezeoke is now studying electrical engineering at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

“These awards are not easy to win because our competitors are talented, hardworking people, so it’s a great feeling all around,” she said. “During my time at The Mirror News, I loved learning about the process of journalism and creating stories. I really enjoyed my time there.”

HFC alumna Olivia Draus served as a graphic designer and later the layout editor for The Mirror News. Draus, who transferred to the College of Creative Studies, won three of the 21 awards.

“I’m honored that what I’ve been part of last year is still feeling the effects a year later. It brings me a lot of joy to know that decisions I and my peers made when we were at the newspaper – including making it feel like a unified publication instead of a jumble of aesthetics – are still being carried through. I’m especially proud of the current layout editor, Gabby Brown, for her strong leadership after taking over when I graduated from HFC,” said Draus.

Added Kim: “When I first met Olivia, I was amazed by her creativity, originality, and confidence. For her to be rewarded for her amazing graphic design talents is well-deserved. We miss her at The Mirror News, but she has made a lasting impression, helping to set the bar high for current and future graphic artists who work on the newspaper.”

“That’s the secret sauce”

For the 2024-25 academic year, HFC alumna Ashley Davis served as the editor-in-chief of The Mirror News. Davis, who transferred to U-M where she is majoring in English, won four of the 21 awards. As an alumna of HFC, she still reads The Mirror News to stay current about the College’s happenings.

"It's no surprise to me that The Mirror News continues to be a dynamic force in the journalism world,” she said. “The newspaper always manages to unite a group of dynamic people to represent HFC. Dr. Kim is truly a gift. He has such a heart for teaching and has a special way of unlocking that hidden confidence and potential in his students. He and his student reporters over the years have worked hard to foster an environment that encourages self-expression, creative freedom, and collective growth. I witnessed students go from being terrified of conducting an interview to submitting their résumé for editorial consideration. That's the kind of confidence you build when you're part of a supportive community like The Mirror News. The authenticity you develop in the process of becoming a journalist can be captured within the stories. That's the magic of the program. That's the secret sauce."

HFC alumna Alaina Schnell, who also transferred to U-M where she’s majoring in creative writing and literature, succeeded Davis as EIC. She served as EIC for the Fall 2025 semester and won two of the 21 awards. HFC student Alexandra Gray served as EIC for the Winter 2026 semester. Gray will continue in this role for the 2026-27 academic year.

“I’m elated! Receiving 21 awards from the MPA after winning our record-breaking 40 awards at the MCCPA is stunning!” said Gray. “The Mirror News has been receiving a lot of recognition this academic year and I couldn't be happier for our staff. We are being recognized as the top community college newspaper in the state! I am so excited, proud, and humbled by these accolades!”

Showcasing student talent

As wildly successful as this year has been, Kim is looking forward to next year even more.

“The Mirror News is in terrific hands with Alex Gray,” he said. “Alex will not only provide strong leadership in the 2026-27 academic year, but also a strong sense of history and continuity, carrying on the newspaper’s legacy.”

Kim has been advising The Mirror News since 2018. He pointed out that one of the keys to the newspaper’s success is the mentorship between editors and staff members with staff members often rising to become editors, such as Davis and Gray.

“The success of that mentorship and collaboration is evident in the increasing number of awards the newspaper has received in the past few years, especially reaching record numbers this year,” said Kim. “One of the greatest highlights of my career is seeing students achieve beyond their own expectations. The many awards The Mirror News has won shows the truly amazing talent we have at HFC.”

The Mirror News MPA awards