From Exec: Celebrating our success and moving forward

The Old Gold & Black receives two national awards

Executive Editors

This past weekend, editors from the Old Gold & Black traveled to New York City to participate in the College Media Association (CMA) spring conference. The sessions there sharpened our skills as reporters and encouraged us to think deeply about the identity of the Old Gold & Black as we approach our 108th birthday. We will have more to say about these changes soon, but for now, we want to recognize the work that received recognition at the CMA’s Apple Awards.

Opinion Editor Lauren Carpenter received first-place recognition in the opinion category for her column, “The brutal aftermath of a sexual assault at Wake Forest.” Carpenter, who was still a staff writer at the time, worked closely with the opinion and executive editors to share her story, and she never once wavered in her bravery or dedication to telling hard truths. We are so proud of Carpenter and thankful to her for sharing her story with us. 

Additionally, our magazine, The Magnolia, earned second-place honors in the Feature Magazine (3,000-9,999) category, beating out many prominent magazines from across the nation. We could not be prouder of The Magnolia’s work to cover important stories that often do not receive the attention they deserve. You can read the Fall 2022 issue, which focuses on organizations and individuals often overlooked by the Wake Forest community, here. We also look forward to The Magnolia’s Spring 2023 edition, which will focus on the wider Winston-Salem community, with anticipation. 

We think we speak for every member of the Old Gold & Black, however, when we say that we do not do what we do for awards. Our commitment is not to trophies, but to covering the campus like the magnolias. Awards like these remind us that there is a lot to be proud of in our coverage these past years. However, as the workshops sessions at the conference and reader feedback remind us, there are always ways we can improve. Today, we celebrate our past successes and renew our determination to get even better. Wake Forest and its community deserve nothing less, and we welcome any and all feedback on our coverage.

The Executive Board of the Old Gold & Black occasionally writes executive editorials. The board comprises Editor-in-Chief Christa Dutton and managing editors Maryam Khanum (multimedia), Breanna Laws (print) and Aine Pierre (online). With the exception of Pierre, the Editorial Committee, which normally writes the weekly editorial, played no part in the production or review of this column.