Awards

2026

Michigan Association of Broadcasters – Student Broadcast Awards

• College Audio Station of the Year
• Commentary, Winner: “Music Festivals” (Lilly Faye Kraemer)
• Music Feature or Special, Winner: “The Timbrel and the Lyre” (Gwen Thompson)
• On-Air Personality or Team, Winner: “Undetected” (Alessia Sandala, Megan Li)
• Promotional Announcement, Winner: “WRFH Station Promo” (Luke Miller)
• Public Service Announcement, Winner: “Sneeze in Your Sleeve” (Emily Schutte)
• Public Service Announcement – Sponsored by the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission, Winner: “Human Trafficking: Listen” (Luke Miller)
• Sports Feature, Winner: “New Rules: Magdalena Sularski” (Evan Mick)
• Sportscast, Winner: “4 Man Front” (Lewis Thune, Paden Hughes, Mark Ayers, Patrick Hamilton)
• Talk Show/Podcast, Winner: “WRFH St. Patrick’s Day Special” (Gavin Listro, Lilly Faye Kraemer, Gwen Thompson)
• Commentary, Second Place: “Word to the Wise: Activism” (Ariel McDowell)
• Daily Newscast/News Feature, Second Place: “History Off Script: Thanksgiving” (James Joski)
• Live Sports Coverage, Second Place: Basketball: Hillsdale vs. Kentucky Wesleyan, 02/02/25 (Gordie Lafontaine, Evan Mick) 
• Commentary, Honorable Mention: “The Death of Charlie Kirk” (Quinn Delamater)
• Public Service Announcement – Sponsored by the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission, Honorable Mention: “Human Trafficking: Get Help” (Quinn Delamater)
• Sports Feature, Honorable Mention: “After the Combine with Isaac TeSlaa” (Evan Mick)
• Talk Show/Podcast, Honorable Mention: “Alamo of the Pacific” (Luke Miller)
• Use of Social Media, Honorable Mention: WRFH Social Media (Mattie Grace Watson, Carissa Nisly)

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Specialty Show (Non-music), Winner: The Poetry Fix (Erika Kyba)
• Best News Director, Radio, Winner: Lauren Smyth)
• Best Specialty Music Show, Finalist: Classical Context (Peter Andrews)
• Best Documentary, Finalist: The Story of “The Star-Spangled Banner” (Emily Schutte)
• Best News Feature, Finalist: Human Trafficking: A Growing Scourge (Hana Connelly)
• Best Campus/Community News, Finalist: Camp Hope Homeless Shelter (Alessia Sandala, Sydney Green, Catherine Maxwell, Megan Li, Megan Pidcock)
• Best Faculty Advisor, Radio, Finalist: Scot Bertram
• Best College/University Station (Under 10,000 Students), Finalist: WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM

2025

Collegiate Broadcasters, Inc. Awards: 

• Best Newscast or Sportscast, Second Place: Lauren Smyth News (Lauren Smith)
• Best Documentary, Third Place: Alamo of the Pacific (Luke Miller)
• Best Feature News Reporting, Fourth Place: Battle of the Bands (Erin Osborne)

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Newscast Winner – Emily Schutte News (Emily Schutte)
• Best Speciality Music Show Finalist – I’ve Got Aux (Gavin Listro, Ally Hall, Bella Dix)
• Best Talk Program Finalist – The Social Mediators (Jillian Parks, Garrett Goolsby)
• Best Campus/Community News Finalist- Hillsdale Jail Overcrowded (Thomas McKenna, Catherine Maxwell, Hershey Athysivam)
• Best Liner/Sweeper Finalist – WRFH Supermarket (Gavin Listro)
• Best News Director, Radio Finalist – Lauren Smyth
• Best Sports Director, Radio Finalist – Hana Connelly
• Best College/University Station (Under 10,000 students) Finalist – WRFH/Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM

Michigan Association of Broadcasters – Student Broadcast Awards

• College Radio Station of the Year
• Best Current Events Story Winner (In Media Res- Hershey Athysiviam, Stephanie Zamora)
• Best Editorial Winner (A Minute with Quinn – Quinn Delamater)
• Best Music Feature or Special Winner (The Timbrel and the Lyre – Gwen Thompson)
• Best News Feature (Human Trafficking: A Growing Scourge – Hana Connelly)
• Best On-Air Personality or Team (This Week in History: Gavin Listro, Michaela Estruth)
• Best Sports Feature (Getting to the Game: Evan Mick)
• Best Sports Feature – Second Place (Former Chargers: Isaac TeSlaa – Evan Mick)
• Best Sportscast – Second Place (Bleacher Boys – George Accola, Paul Marchitti, Matthew Karten)
• Best Current Events Story – Honorable Mention (Overcrowding at Hillsdale’s Jail – Thomas McKenna, Catherine Maxwell)
• Best Editorial – Honorable Mention (A Food Fight – Ariel McDowell)
• Best Music Feature/Special – Honorable Mention (I’ve Got Aux – Gavin Listro, Ally Hall, Bella Dix)
• Best Sports Feature – Honorable Mention (Sibling Rivalry: College Football Edition – Evan Mick)
• Best Use of Social Media – Honorable Mention (WRFH Social Media – Bella Dix, Carissa Nisly)

2024 

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Documentary Winner (Therese Boudreaux: PFAS: Forever Chemicals)
• Best Specialty Show (Non-Music) Finalist – Wall Street Weekly
• Best Radio Drama Finalist – Welcome To Our Village, Please Invade Carefully (Therese Boudreaux)
• Best Sports Play-By-Play (Women’s Basketball) Finalist – Hillsdale vs. Walsh, 02/09/23 (Julius Graber, Evan Mick)
• Best Sports Update Finalist – WRFH Sports with Hana Connelly (Hana Connelly)
• Best News Feature Story Finalist – The Cherry Blossoms of D.C. (Aubrey Gulick)
• Best Public Service Announcement Finalist – Hillsdale Humane Society (Lauren Smyth)
• Best Station ID Finalist – WRFH Fresh ID (Lauren Smyth)

Michigan Association of Broadcasters – Student Broadcast Awards

• College Radio Station of the Year
• Best Current Events Story Winner (Josh Barker: The Policy Corner: Michigan Tax Reform)
• Best Music Feature or Special Winner (Gwen Thompson: The Timbrel and the Lyre)
• Best Editorial Winner (Gavin Listro Editorial)
• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature Winner (Therese Boudreaux: Spotlight on PFAS)
• Best Promotional Announcement Winner (Wall Street Weekly Promo)
• Best Sports Feature Winner (Evan Mick: Hillsdale Football’s New Head Coach)
• Best Current Events Story – Second Place (Abigail Snyder: Israel War Special Report)
• Best Editorial – Second Place (Abigail Snyder Editorial)
• Best On-Air Personality or Team – Second Place (Lauren Smyth)
• Best Sports Feature – Second Place (Evan Mick: The Life of a Kicker)
• Best Current Events Story – Honorable Mention (Josh Barker: The Policy Corner: Right To Work Repeal)
• Daily Newscast/News Feature – Honorable Mention (Lauren Smyth News)

• Best Newscast or Sportscast Winner (Lauren Smith: Lauren Smyth News)
• Best Documentary Longform Winner: Logan Washburn, Ty Ruddy, Alex Deimel, Erin Osborne, and Jane Kitchen: The Prison Games)
• Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program – Second Place (Gavin Listro, Bella Dix, and Ally Hall: I’ve Got Aux)
• Best Sports Reporting – Fourth Place (Evan Mick: The Life of a Kicker)

2023 

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Faculty Advisor Winner (Scot Bertram)
• Most Creative/Innovative Show Winner (Five Minute Myths)
• Most Creative/Innovative Show Finalist – State Facts
• Best Specialty Show (Non-Music) Finalist – The Virtual Voyage
• Best Specialty Show (Non-Music) Finalist – Grammar Minute
• Best Talk Program Finalist – The Social Mediators
• Best Sports Play-by-Play – Hillsdale vs. Findlay
• Best Press Release Finalist – Lauren Scott
• Best College/University Radio Station (under 10,000 students) Finalist

Michigan Association of Broadcasters – Student Broadcast Awards

• College Radio Station of the Year
• Best Current Events Story Winner (The Policy Corner: Michigan Affordable Housing and Property Taxes)
• Best On Air Personality or Team Winner (Elena Naborowski: Five Minute Myths)
• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature Winner (Collegian Week in Review)
• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature – Second Place (Lauren Smyth Newscast)
• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature – Honorable Mention (Sports Story Time)
• Best On-Air Personality of Team – Honorable Mention (Grammar Minute)
• Best Promotional Announcement – Second Place (Election 2022)
• Best Promotional Announcement – Honorable Mention (Election Night Coverage)
• Best Talk Show – Second Place (Wellness Weekly)

• Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program – 2nd Place (The Virtual Voyage)
• Best Documentary/Public Affairs – 2nd Place (Hillsdale Student, American Hero)
• Best Promo – 3rd Place (The Grammar Minute Promo) 
• Best Newscast or Sportscast – 4th Place (Lauren Smyth News)
• Best Documentary – 4th Place (Lauren Smyth: Ian Fleming)
• Best Special Broadcast – 4th Place (Election Night 2022) 
  

2022

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Production Director Winner (Ryan Young)
• Best Comedy Program Finalist – The Loft
• Best Morning Show Finalist – The Ryan Young Show
• Best Women’s Basketball Play-By-Play Finalist – Women’s Basketball: Hillsdale vs. Ohio Valley
• Best Press Release Finalist – Josh Barker
• Best Documentary Finalist – John Lee Hooker
• Best Talk Program Finalist – The Social Mediators
• Best College/University Radio Station (under 10,000 students) Finalist

Michigan Association of Broadcasters – Student Broadcast Awards

• Best Current Events Story Winner (The Policy Corner: Michigan Voting Bills)
• Best Current Events Story – Honorable Mention (Hillsdale Interview: Mike Pompeo)
• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature – Second Place (Lauren Smyth Newscast)
• Best Promotional Announcement – Second Place (Hillsdale Men’s Basketball)
• Best Public Service Announcement – Second Place (Adoption)
• Best Sports Announcing Team – Second Place (Football: Hillsdale vs. Kentucky Wesleyan)

2021

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Comedy Show Winner (The Loft)
• Best Morning Show Finalist – Marty & Stef in the Morning
• Best Specialty Show Finalist – The Rest is History
• Most Innovative and Creative Program Finalist – State Facts
• Best Specialty Music Show Finalist – Conserving the Classics
• Best Women’s Basketball Play-By-Play – Hillsdale v. Malone basketball
• Best Newscast Finalist – Reagan Gensiejewski Update
• Best Newscast Finalist – Christine Talent Update
• Best Station Promo – Election Night Promo 

2020

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best News Interview Winner (The Hillsdale Interview: Gov. Scott Walker)
• Best Talk Show Finalist – Off Topic
• Best Specialty Music Shown Finalist – The Spin Room
• Most Innovative/Creative Program Finalist – State Facts 
• Best Public Affairs Program Finalist – The Policy Corner
• Best Sports Update – Rachel Kookogey Update

2019

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best News Interview Winner (The Hillsdale Interview: John Bolton)
• Best Talk Show Finalist – Miss Informed
• Best Specialty Shown Finalist – Wait, What Happened
• Best Celebrity/Artists Interview Finalist – The Hillsdale Interview: Ben Shapiro
• Best Public Affairs Program Finalist – Citizen Talk
• Best Show Promotional Poster Finalist – Wait, What Happened
• Best Show Promotional Poster Finalist – The Devil’s Advocate
• Best Play-By-Play, Baseball/Softball Finalist – Hillsdale vs. Bellevue Baseball
• Best Play-By-Play, Baseball/Softball Finalist – Hillsdale vs. Findlay Baseball

Michigan Association of Broadcasters-Student Broadcast Awards:

• College Radio Station of the Year
• Best Current Event Program Winner (The Hillsdale Interview: Ajit Pai)
• Best On-Air Personality or Team Winner (Wait, What Happened?)  
• Best Talk Show (American View)
• Best Current Event Program – Second Place (The Hillsdale Interview: John James)
• Best Newscast / News Feature – Second Place (Econ 101)
• Best Newscast / News Feature – Honorable Mention (Ryan Kelly Murphy Newscast)
• Best Sports Announcing Team – Honorable Mention (Hillsdale Academy vs. Bellevue Baseball)

•  Best Special Program – 3rd Place (Patmos, WI Radio Drama Preview)

2018

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards:

• Best Talk Show Finalist – Off Topic
• Best Documentary Finalist – Opioid Epidemic
• Best Comedy Show Finalist – The Daily Grind
• Best Show Promotional Poster Finalist – The Devil’s Advocate
• Best Play-By-Play, Baseball/Softball Finalist – Hillsdale vs. Wayne State Baseball

Michigan Association of Broadcasters-Student Broadcast Awards:

• Best Daily Newscast/News Feature Winner (Ryan Kelly Murphy Newscast)  
• Best On-Air Personality or Team Winner (Wait, What Happened?)  
• Best Sports Announcing Team – Second Place (Hillsdale vs. Wayne State)

College Broadcasters, Inc. Awards:

• Best Audio Newscast – Third Place
• Best Public Affairs Documentary – Fourth Place