SDSU Journalists Earn Honors in 2025 SPJ Awards Contest

SDSU student journalists earned honors in the 2025 San Diego Society of Professional Journalists Chapter Awards, with students recognized for work in reporting, multimedia and other categories.  

First-, second- and third-place winners were named in 16 categories. Many independent student contributors and staff members of The Daily Aztec, SDSU’s student-run newspaper, received particular recognition for content published over the course of the 2025 calendar year. 

Among the first-place winners was “Daily Aztec Live 11/20,” produced by former multimedia section co-editors Lindsey Belsky and Emily Barrera. The segment was awarded first place for College Media Newscast and explores topics of prison rehabilitation and sports-related updates at SDSU.

For Belsky and Barrera, however, this winning edition is only one from a litany of which to be proud. Upon stepping into the editor role, both journalists sought to restore The DA’s live newscast, they said. This objective shaped their experiences while amplifying their learning at the newspaper.

“Seeing our work be recognized was really, really nice because we did put a lot of work and care into it,” Belsky said. “I think that us revamping it and making it our own was something that gave me that creative ability that I don’t think I would have gotten anywhere else. I am so grateful for it.”

Barrera similarly credited The Daily Aztec with strengthening  her understanding of teamwork and broadcast production. 

The awards also recognized The Daily Aztec’s  written reporting. “San Diego’s phantom stadium costs taxpayers nearly $5 million annually,” a piece by Roman Aguilar and Teal Davis, won first place for College Media In-depth Reporting. Using City of San Diego public records and other sources, the story examined the continuing taxpayer costs associated with the demolished Qualcomm Stadium. 

Aguilar, who served as sports editor during the 2025-26 academic year, said the story’s investigative focus made the reporting process especially valuable. He also appreciated seeing firsthand the impact local journalism can have on the community. “I think without The Daily Aztec, I would not nearly be the writer, editor and critiquer that I am now,” Aguilar said. “So, I have that whole organization to thank because of that.”

Calista Stocker, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Aztec and president of SDSU’s SPJ chapter, helped select the student work submitted for the competition. She said she was pleased to see so many entries recognized.“It really reflects the work of the writers on The Daily Aztec and their passion – and I think we got a lot of passionate writers last year – but it also definitely reflects the work and the passion of our editors encouraging that kind of output,” Stocker said.  

She also said the recognition yields benefits in the professional world. 

“That is a permanent thing that they get to have on their resume and something they can take with them through the rest of their careers. Winning an award like that while you’re still in college, while you’re still in school, is super valuable, and I am really, really excited for everybody that won,” Stocker said.