2025 JHM Awards
Every year, CUP holds the John H. McDonald Awards for Excellence in Student Journalism.
Better known as the JHMs, these prestigious awards recognize the very best in student journalism across the country.
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Nominations are open to all student journalists, regardless of CUP member status. Non-members pay $20 per submission.
CUP members receive two free submissions per category, and $20 for one subsequent submission after. Papers cannot submit more than three submissions per category.
Papers will be invoiced after the submission period for any additional submissions by treasurer@cup.ca.
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Invoices not paid one week (7 days) before the JHM Awards will result in disqualification.
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2025 JHM Shortlist & Winners
Arts & Culture Writing Award​
WINNER
"Through the eyes of Treasure Fatile’s girls," The Varsity’s Divine Angubua
SHORTLISTED
"Sparkles, skates and seduction: Joy Rider and Kozmic Skater reimagine queer love stories through roller-burlesque," The Link’s Lana Brady
"Not your average frat: Kappa Alpha is redefining fraternity culture," The Western Gazette’s Paniz Vedavarz​
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Community Service Reporting Award
"Twenty-four hours at the Palestinian solidarity encampment," by The Ubyssey's Iman Janmohamed, Spencer Izen, Aisha Chaudhry, Nathan Bawaan, Renée Rochefort and Elena Massing
"Following the 'People's Circle for Palestine'," by The Varsity's Eleanor Yuneun Park, James Bullanoff, Selia Sanchez and Kyla Cassandra Cortez
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SHORTLISTED
"Secularism in action," by The Link's Hannah Vogan
Digital Storytelling Award
"See how your 2023 USC councillors voted on Greek Life special privileges," by The Western Gazette's Jessica Kim and Sonia Persaud
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"Commuting to Campus," by The Capilano Courier's Christien Anastacio, Jordan Tomlinson and Kiki Evans
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"A Brief History of the Palestinian Kuffiyeh," by The Link's Lilia Bachraoui​​
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Feature Writing Award
“Behind the screens: What 650 syllabi show about Western’s ChatGPT response,” The Western Gazette’s Sonia Persaud
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“We went to Cleantech Commons so you don’t have to,” Arthur’s Sebastian Johnston-Lindsay, Abbigale Kernya and Evan Robins
“To degree or not to degree,” the Griff’s Liam Newbigging
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Humour Writing Award
WINNER
"President Lachemi spotted minding his own business," by The Eyeopener's Fatima Raza
SHORTLISTED
"An eco-anxious forecast for Lover Girl Fall," by The Varsity's Divine Angubua
"TOMATO: Weed coming to convenience stores in April," by The Fulcrum's Andrew Wilimek
Indigenous Reporting Award
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"MacEwan’s Treaty 6 marker, Mother Bear Prays for Earth Healing, reminds us we are all treaty people," by the Griff's Rebecca-Lynn Reeves
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"The buried history of U of T’s anthropological excavations," by The Varsity's Caroline Bellamy
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"Going beyond land acknowledgements," by The Concordian's Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman​
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Investigative Reporting Award
“Residence staff began requesting naloxone training in 2022. It took the death of a student for UVic to listen,” The Martlet’s Annilea Purser, Melody Powers and Sydney Lobe
“The hazing incident that erased a prestigious Queen’s Commerce club,” The Queen’s Journal’s Aimee Look, Asbah Ahmad and Sophia Coppolino
“How transparent is Concordia?,” The Concordian’s Aidan Raynor and Marieke Glorieux-Stryckman
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CWA Labour Reporting Award
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WINNER
"Building stronger together: The people behind CUPE 2278," by The Ubyssey's Renée Rochefort
SHORTLISTED
"The young and the organized," by The Eyeopener's Edward Lander and Hailey Ford
"TA union strikes, profs confused as exams begin," by The Western Gazette's Veronica MacLean and Sophie Bouquillon​
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Marginalized Community Reporting Award​
“Inside Canada’s trans healthcare maze,” The Eyeopener’s Jay Ashdown
“Beyond the blueprint: Bridging the gender gap in Western Engineering,” The Western Gazette’s Sonia Persaud
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“Comm-Un: the Montreal co-op handcrafting solidarity,” The Link’s Hannah Vogan and Dana Hachwa
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News Reporting Award​
“Hall building altercation: Students share their perspectives,” The Link’s Maria Cholakova, Iness Rifay and Abby Cole
“'Disclose, divest': Students camp out at King’s College Circle demanding that U of T cut ties with Israel,” The Varsity’s James Bullanoff
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“Students protest secrecy over cuts to Queen’s Arts and Science outside town hall,” The Queen’s Journal’s Sophia Coppolino
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Opinion Writing Award​
“Opinion: Mining Company Teck's “Copper and Health” project at UBC isn't as clean as it looks,” The Ubyssey’s Tova Gaster
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“Opinion: U of T’s academic tribunal is rigged,” by The Varsity’s Devin Botar
“Editorial: Encampment protesters are not the issue — U of T’s policies and protocols are,” The Varsity’s Editorial Board
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Science Reporting Award
"Gut Feelings: Canada has one of the highest rates of IBD in the world. Why?," The Ubyssey’s Sophia Russo
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"Rising use of deepfakes threatens online sex workers," by The Link's Matthew Daldalian
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"Poutine, Sora, and the Future of AI-Generated Video," by The Link's Dana Hachwa, Marcus Werner, and AJ Cordeiro
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Sports Reporting Award
WINNER
"Saunas, ice baths and basketball: Carleton star Kali Pocrnic pivots to Finland," by The Charlatan's Janson Duench
SHORTLISTED
"How a Western PhD student made a place for women in football," by The Western Gazette's Ryan Goodison
"Montreal leading the way in Canadian skateboarding," by The Link's Jared Lackman-Mincoff
Cover of the Year
WINNER
"The sex & gender issue," by The Martlet's Sage Blackwell
SHORTLISTED
"March madness at the mac," by The Eyeopener's Sammy Kogan
"Fall of blueberry bloom," The Runner's Christina Tran
Visual of the Year
WINNER
"Quiet on Set sheds light on what child actors face in the industry,” by The Runner's Christina Tran
SHORTLISTED
"Thrifting culture," The Concordian's Scott Cowan
"Silent Mourners Caught in the Crossfire of Identity and Politics," by The Concordian's Alexandra Nackley​
Photo of the Year
WINNER
“Toronto Protestors Rally in Solidarity with Lebanon and Palestine,” by On the Record News' Laviza
SHORTLISTED
"Oct. 7," by The Concordian's Hannah Bell
“Spokesperson Sara Rasikh speaks in press conference,” by The Varsity's Kaisa KasekampSyed
The Globe and Mail Student Journalist of the Year Award
WINNER
Sophia Coppolino, The Queen's Journal
SHORTLISTED
Jessica Kim, The Western Gazette
Evan Robins, Arthur Newspaper
Student Photojournalist of the Year
WINNER
Sammy Kogan, The Eyeopener
SHORTLISTED
Sophie Bouquillon, The Western Gazette
Kai Wilson, The Western Gazette
Isa S. You, The Ubyssey
Student Publication of the Year​
WINNER​
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SHORTLISTED​
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