Awards and Honors

2024-2025

International Student Broadcasting Championship
Finalist, People’s Choice Content Creator: Nikolena Samac, WJCU Sports Instagram
Finalist, Best Sports Colour Caster: Bobby Gerome
Finalist, Best Sports Colour Caster: Owen Close

College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards
1st Place, Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Jayden Beddingfield: 808s and Mixtapes
3rd Place, Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky: From the Bench
3rd Place, Best Promo: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky: From the Bench Promo

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards
1st Place, Best Audio Entertainment Program (under 3,000 students): Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Jayden Beddingfield: 808s and Mixtapes
2nd Place, Best Audio Promo/PSA (under 10,000 students): Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky: From the Bench Promo
2nd Place, Best Social Media Engagement (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges): Emily Davala and Aliyah Shamatta: WJCU Instagram
3rd Place, Station of the Year (under 10,000 students): WJCU 88.7 FM
3rd Place, Best Audio Newscast (under 3,000 students and two-year colleges): Laken Kincaid: Heights Now: JCU responds to Cleveland Diocese’s controversial statement on sexual identity and gender
3rd Place, Best Audio Sportscast (under 10,000 students): Jake Vulinec, Bobby Gerome, Evan Richwalsky: JCU Football vs. UW-Whitewater 9/2/23

College Media Association Film and Audio Festival
2nd Place, Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Jayden Beddingfield, 808s and Mixtapes

University Heights Good Neighbor Award
Eric Simna and Jason Meyers

2023-2024

Press Club of Cleveland All-Ohio Excellence in Journalism Awards
1st Place, Audio General News: Laken Kincaid, Evan Richwalsky (Heights Now: JCU’s classroom service requirement in the face of the Cleveland Diocese’s decision)

Friend of Hungary Award
Zsolt Molnar (Bocskai Radio)

Alpha Epsilon Rho National Electronic Media Honor Society Inductees
Laken Kincaid, Evan Richwalsky

Society of Professional Journalists Region 4 Mark of Excellence Awards
Finalist, Radio Feature: Laken Kincaid, Nick Sack, Evan Richwalsky (Heights Now: Meet the Man who Makes Them Pay)

Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts
Award of Excellence, Best On-Air Personality: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Media Awards
Winner, Best College/University Radio Station (under 10,000 students): WJCU 88.7 FM
Winner, Best On-Air Personality: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)
Winner, Best Community Volunteer Program/Personality: Ray King (Rockin’ Ray’s Record Recall)
Winner, Best Promotions Director (Radio): Zachary Sinutko and Mackenzie Jackson
Finalist, Best Celebrity or Artist/Band Interview: Laken Kincaid (3OH!3 Interview)
Finalist, Best On-Air Pledge Drive: Joe Madigan (Jumpin’ Joe’s Basement Show – Radiothon 2023)
Finalist, Best Foreign Language Program: Zsolt Molnar, Moni Gyerman, Tibor Baki, Tamas Csajka, Zsofia Dorgay (Bocskai Radio – Hungarian Scout Radio/TV 7/2/23)
Finalist, Best Sports Play-By-Play (Football): Jake Vulinec, Bobby Gerome, Evan Richwalsky (JCU vs Whitewater)
Finalist, Best Show Promotional Poster: Zachary Sinutko and Emily Davala (808s and Mixtapes Poster)
Finalist, Best Press Release: Zachary Sinutko and Emily Davala (Turn Back the Clock Press Release)
Finalist, Best Show Promo: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky (From the Bench Promo)

International Student Broadcasting Championship
Winner, Best Interview: Zachary Sinutko (Lily Jade Interview)
Runner-Up, Best News Feature: Laken Kincaid (Heights Now: JCU Responds to Cleveland Diocese’s Controversial Statement on Sexual Identity and Gender)
Runner-Up, Best Specialty Show: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Daunte Horton (808s and Mixtapes)
Runner-Up, Best On-Air Team: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)
Finalist, Best Audio Production/Imaging: Aliyah Shamatta and Mackenzie Jackson (Do It For The B-Sides Promo)
Finalist, Best Interview: Laken Kincaid (3OH!3 Interview)
Finalist, Best Specialty Show: Laken Kincaid and Evan Richwalsky (From the Bench)

College Media Association Pinnacle Awards
2nd Place, Station of the Year (2,999 and under enrollment): WJCU 88.7 FM
3rd Place, Best Audio Newscast (2,999 and under enrollment): Laken Kincaid (Heights Now: SB 83)
2nd Place, Best Audio Promo/PSA (2,999 and under enrollment): Aliyah Shamatta (Car Seat PSA)
1st Place, Best Audio Talk/Entertainment Program (2,999 and under enrollment): Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)

College Media Association Film and Audio Festival
1st Place, Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)

College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards
4th Place, Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Moody Qotaynah, Jayden Beddingfield (808s and Mixtapes)

College Media Association Adviser Awards
Emerging Adviser Award: Jasen Sokol

Cleveland Association of Broadcasters
Fred McLeod Memorial Scholarship: Evan Richwalsky

2022-2023

College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards
3rd Place, Best DJ: Zachary Sinutko, Emily Davala, Collin Kennedy (808s and Mixtapes)

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Media Awards
Winner, Best Sports Play-by-Play (Football): Logan Potosky, Bobby Gerome, Evan Richwalsky (JCU Football vs. Marietta)
Winner, Best Community Volunteer Program/Personality: Ray King (Rockin’ Ray’s Record Recall)
Finalist, Best Sports Director (Radio): Logan Potosky
Finalist, Best Campus/Community News: Laken Kincaid (Heights Now: UH Recycling Plan)
Finalist, Best Community Volunteer Program/Personality: Joe Madigan (Jumpin’ Joe’s Basement Show)
Finalist, Best On-Air Personality: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Emily Davala (808s and Mixtapes)
Finalist, Best Social Media Campaign: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Emily Davala, Terron Lee, Daunte Horton (808s and Mixtapes)
Finalist, Best Liner/Sweeper: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Emily Davala (808s and Mixtapes Sweeper)

Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts
2nd Place, Best On-Air Personality: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Emily Davala (808s and Mixtapes)
2nd Place, Best Radio Hard News Reporting: Laken Kincaid (Heights Now: UH Recycling Plan

Sportscasters Talent Agency of America All-America Program
Honorable Mention: Logan Potosky

Broadcast Education Association Founders Scholarship
Laken Kincaid

University Heights Good Neighbor Award
Zachary Sinutko and Collin Kennedy

2021-2022

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Media Awards
Finalist, Best Sports Play-by-Play (Football): Logan Potosky, Drezdan Dale (JCU Football vs. Baldwin Wallace)

Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts
3rd Place, Best Specialty Program/Podcast: Zachary Sinutko, Collin Kennedy, Terron Lee, Daunte Horton (808s and Mixtapes)

Guinness World Record
Longest Radio Interview: Zachary Sinutko and Collin Kennedy, 25 hours 32 minutes