AUCCCD Award for Excellence in Media

The AUCCCD Award for Excellence in Media celebrates outstanding media that highlights the work and impact of college and university counseling centers. This award recognizes innovative, creative, and accessible media that enhances public awareness, student engagement, or professional development in college mental health.

Jump to: Purpose | Eligibility & Criteria | Past Recipients

Purpose

This award promotes the creation and distribution of high-quality media that elevates the visibility of campus counseling services and supports mental health in higher education communities.

Award Presentation

Award recipient(s) will be honored during a business meeting at the 2026 AUCCCD Conference in Pittsburgh, receive a commemorative plaque, and be recognized through a formal announcement to their institution and the AUCCCD membership.

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Eligibility & Criteria

For the 2026 award, nominated media was required to:

• Be published, exhibited, or made publicly available between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026.
• Take any form, including but not limited to video, audio, photography, digital campaigns, or multimedia productions.
• Clearly focus on issues related to student mental health and student development.
• Be relevant and applicable to the professional work of college counseling centers.
• Reflect current topics, challenges, or innovations in the field.
• Include thoughtful consideration of cultural factors, diversity, and inclusion relevant to the topic.
• Involve at least one primary creator affiliated with an AUCCCD member institution.

Nomination Requirements

2026 nominations included:

• A copy of the media or an accessible link to the full work.
• A brief statement describing the significance of the piece and how it met the award criteria.

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Past Recipients

In recognition of the importance of disseminating information about college mental health issues to the public and the profession, the AUCCCD Communications Committee presents the annual AUCCCD Media Award to recognize outstanding work by AUCCCD members and affiliated institutions.

2025 Media Award

Ask a Therapist / Hot Topics Instagram video series
Riley McGrath, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Counseling Services

2024 Media Award

Mental Health Friday Webinar Series
Andrea Lawson, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

2023 Media Award

A New Narrative for College Mental Health: Four Key Objectives that Every Campus Counseling Center should Obtain
Eric Wood, Texas Christian University

2021 Media Award

Speak Fire
Speak Fire is a six-week Instagram series hosted by two counselors at the Georgia Southern University Counseling Center. Aimed at addressing the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, the series was designed to provide a lively discussion in support of Georgia Southern students.
Jodi Caldwell, Jamal Hailey and Raven De La Cruz, Georgia Southern University

2020 Media Award

INSPIRE: International Student Perspectives Inspiring Resiliency
Monica Osburn & North Carolina State Counseling Center Multicultural Committee

2019 Media Award

Self Help: Mental Health Skills Videos
Dr. Kim Gorman, Western Carolina University
View Video

2018 Media Award

What’s Up Doc?: Panic Attacks
Katherine Evans, Seton Hall University
View Media

2017 Media Award

Monica Osburn, North Carolina State University, for the Emmy Award-winning Stop the Stigma suicide prevention video.

2007 Media Award

Brigham Young University’s student newspaper, The Daily Universe, dated March 1, 2007. The paper published a series of articles on domestic abuse and violence. Nominated by Ron Chapman, director of the Counseling and Career Center at Brigham Young University.

Dr. Chapman said, “The Daily Universe” is a student-operated and edited publication. He noted that the students had done a strong job addressing a difficult topic with candor and humanity.

2006 Media Award

Counseling Crisis
Inside Higher Education
by Rob Capriccioso
Available Online

2005 Media Award

Dealing with Students in Crisis: A Systems Approach
Accommodating Students with Learning and Emotional Disabilities by the National Association for College and University Attorneys
Kathy Hollingsworth

A Nation of Wimps
Psychology Today
Hara Estroff Marano

Notre Dame's college journalism magazine Scholastic, which dedicated its September 23, 2004 edition to the topic of depression.

2004 Media Award

A Dying Trend
Vanessa Grigoriadis

Struggling to be Skinny
Sarah Schafer

The Mental Health Needs of Today's College Students: Challenges and Recommendations
Martha Anne Kitzrow

2003 Media Award

Ivy League students flock to therapists
Rebecca Dana

Who Was Responsible For Elizabeth Shin?
Deborah Sontag

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Questions? Contact the AUCCCD Office.