Boise State students earned top honors from the Idaho Press Club for excellence in journalism, including first place honors for general excellence.
The Arbiter staff won in eight out of nine categories and took home prestigious journalism and media awards at the 2024 Idaho Press Club Awards banquet on May 3, 2025, including first place honors for their work in reporting, writing and graphic design.
“I’m so proud of our staff for all the hard work they have put in this year. It was an honor to see their efforts recognized at the Idaho Press Club awards this year. Taking home the first place award for General Excellence – Student was a memorable way to close out the 2024-2025 academic year,” Kelly Ann Asker, editor-in-chief at The Arbiter, said.
Asker and Kiryn Willett lead the 2024-2025 Arbiter staff as editors-in-chief with Emily Gordon, Olivia Brandon, Cainon Rogers, Julianna Kelsey and Ella Van Leuven serving as section editors. The Boise State Student Publication Board recently appointed Emily Carmela Nelson to lead the 2025-2026 staff as editor-in-chief.
“I work with an exceptional group of journalists, designers and photographers who are even more exceptional people. These awards are just a glimpse into the incredible talent that resides behind the doors of Student Media, and I feel honored to have been nominated and won alongside them!” said News Editor Olivia Brandon.
The Arbiter is the editorially independent student newspaper of Boise State University. As a student-run organization, the newspaper provides accurate, relevant and trustworthy information to the Boise State community and beyond and is open to any student interested in journalism. Students contribute to The Arbiter through coursework and paid staff positions.
“The Arbiter staff gave students news they could use, dug into the complexities of higher education legislation and gave readers a front row seat at sporting and cultural events through their reporting. They stepped into a year of consequential news and covered it with smarts and intelligence, providing a valuable service to students and our larger community,” said Lecturer Carissa Wolf, who serves as the faculty editorial advisor. “We need journalism and I admire these students for stepping up to do the hard work.”
Editors Willett and Asker both won first place awards for their reporting and writing and Naomi Brown took first place for graphic design.
“Student Media has been such an invaluable part of my college career at Boise State. I have grown so much as a designer, a professional and as a person while working in my role as Graphic Design Manager,” Kelsey Mason, graphic design manager said. “Winning at the Idaho Press Awards for General Excellence and Page Design serve as high praise and strong recognition for the work our teams at Student Media put in to make a successful and eye-catching newspaper.”
The news team won top honors for their coverage of Boise State’s forfeited volleyball game against San Jose State University amidst speculation that a transgender athlete played on the team and investigated what anti-DEI policies would mean for Idaho. News Reporter Spencer Rentfro helped lead The Arbiter’s award-winning news coverage and won national honors for his work covering DEI policy from the Associated Collegiate Press/College Media Association last fall.
“I’m incredibly grateful to win an Idaho Press Club award on behalf of The Arbiter. Working for my university’s student newspaper has been an amazing opportunity to grow as a journalist,” Rentfro, who is now reporting for the Emmett Messenger Index, said.
Awards
- Light Feature – Student: 2nd Place (Olivia Brandon, Kiryn Willett, Kelly Ann Asker), Boise State Student Media – Women writers in Idaho play a vital role in impacting local literature
- Serious Feature – Student: 1st Place (Kiryn Willett), Boise State Student Media – Anti LGBTQ+ hate crimes reach a high in over two decades
- Serious Feature – Student: 2nd Place (Olivia Brandon, Kiryn Willett, Kelly Ann Asker), Boise State Student Media – From the classroom to the Capitol: What an anti-DEI policy would mean for Idaho
- Opinion Writing – PR: 2nd Place (Ella Van Leuven, Kiryn Willett, Kelly Ann Asker), Boise State Student Media – Dopamine on demand: The phenomenon of shortened attention spans
- Sports News Report – Student: 2nd Place (Olivia Brandon, Spencer Rentfro, Kiryn Willett, Kelly Ann Asker), Boise State Student Media – Boise State women’s volleyball forfeits match following news of possible transgender athlete
- General Excellence – Student: 1st Place (Kiryn Willett, Kelly Ann Asker, Omar Saucedo, Emily Gordon, Olivia Brandon, Cainon Rogers, Ella Van Leuven, Kelsey Mason), Boise State Student Media – Issue 8, Vol. 37
- Column Writing – Student: 1st Place (Kelly Ann Asker), Boise State Student Media – Film Review Column
- Page Design – Student: 2nd Place (Kelsey Mason), Boise State Student Media
- Graphics – Student: 1st Place (Naomi Brown), Boise State Student Media
For a full list of student media award winners, visit idahopressclub.org.
For further information, contact The Arbiter Faculty Advisor Carissa Wolf at carissawolf@boisestate.edu.