Every year, CUP holds the John H. McDonald Awards for Excellence in Student Journalism.
Better known as the JHMs, these prestigious awards recognize the very best in student journalism across the country.
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Nominations are open to all student journalists, regardless of CUP member status. Non-members pay $15 for their first submission, and $5 for every subsequent submission. CUP members receive two free submissions per category, and $5 for every submission after. You will be invoiced after the submission period for any additional submissions by treasurer@cup.ca.
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2023-24 submissions close November 20!
Frequently Asked Questions
I'm not a CUP member. Can my publication still receive awards?
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Yes, the JHMs are open to all Canadian student publications, even non-CUP members. CUP members receive free submissions to each category, with a maximum of two submissions per category.
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What are the rules of submission?
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CUP members can submit two submissions per category with no cost. Subsequent submissions can be submitted for $5. Non-CUP members and individuals can submit their first submission for $15, and every subsequent submission for $5 each. Non-CUP members are also limited to two submissions per category.
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What are the eligibility requirements?
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Pieces published from October 1, 2022 - November 1, 2023 are eligible for this year's awards. Pieces must be published by a student writer of the publication at the time of publishing. They no longer need to be a student writer at the time of submission.
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Who decides the winners?
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Each year, a talented board of industry professionals are chosen to judge the JHMs. The judges represent various facets of the journalism and media industry. Interested in being a judge? Email president@cup.ca for more information.
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Where can I find the criteria for each award?
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You can find the criteria for each award under our Award Categories page.
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How do I nominate?
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You can nominate yourself or someone else by visiting tinyurl.com/jhm2024. Fill out the Google Form and attach a PDF of the article. Be sure to remove any bylines to ensure judges are not aware of who wrote the piece. Please make sure that you are the only one submitting the nomination, as multiple nominations result in disqualification for that particular award.
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Why is there an overlap between last year's nomination period and this year's nomination period?
You may nominate pieces from October 1, 2022 to November 1, 2023. There is a short overlap with last year's submission period in effort to get the JHMs back on a schedule. Pieces from the overlap that won last year's awards will not be reconsidered for this year.
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