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Student Media is proud to announce that The Forge, Mason’s only sci-fi and fantasy magazine, won Third Place in the Best Magazine Cover category (Division I) at the 2026 CMA Apple Awards! Winners were announced on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at the Times Square Marriott Marquis in New York City during the final day of the College Media Association‘s Spring National College Media Convention.

First published in spring 2019, The Forge is a sci-fi and fantasy literary journal at George Mason University that publishes short stories, flash/micro fiction, poetry, and visual artwork focused on “all things speculative.” The Forge seeks to elevate original student works that explore the many realms of speculative fiction, such as imagining new, expansive worlds, exploring aspects of futuristic technologies, and investigating the variety of ways speculative fiction can educate as well as entertain.

Click here to read The Forge’s award-winning issue online >

According to CMA’s website: “Each year, the College Media Association hosts a series of prestigious contests designed to highlight the best in student journalism across print, broadcast, digital, and design. The David L. Adams Apple Awards recognize outstanding achievements as the “Best of Show” at the annual CMA Spring Conference held in New York City. Named in honor of David L. Adams, a dedicated and influential figure in the College Media Association and a longtime adviser at Indiana University, the awards commemorate his enduring legacy following his passing in 2007.”

This accolade comes on the heels of The Forge’s multiple wins at the 2025 Pinnacle Awards this past October…

Congratulations to the entire team on an amazing year!

 

By: Tiffany Boggs

From the time Student Media alumnus Zachary Hamilton (class of 2021) was a freshman in high school, he knew he wanted to pursue a career in sports broadcasting. Like most students aspiring to higher education, Hamilton searched for universities that could accommodate his determined career path. George Mason University was the answer he’d been looking for.

Student Media was the place Hamilton honed his sports broadcasting skills for five years as an undergraduate and graduate student, gaining hands-on experience and logging countless practicum hours in his chosen field to build a strong resume that would be attractive to future employers. Post-graduation, all that experience helped him land key internships and he is now a three-time Emmy Award-winning sports producer for Monumental Sports Network.

In his current role as a producer at Monumental, his portfolio includes pre- and post-show production and coverage of a host of Washington, D.C. home teams including the Capitals (NHL), Wizards (NBA), Mystics (WNBA), and Capital City Go-Go’s (NBA G League).

On July 10, 2025, Hamilton returned home to his alma mater to cover a live basketball game (Washington Mystics vs. Las Vegas Aces) at Mason’s Eagle Bank Arena in a “full-circle” career moment that inspired reflection on his experiences as an undergraduate and graduate student.

“It was great,” Hamilton said. “It really allowed me to learn behind-the-scenes and not just in front of the camera. Now that I’m working full-time behind the camera, you can definitely see where that transition helped me [get to] where I am today.”

Hamilton shared that he loved his time at Mason and recalled reaching out to Student Media’s Associated Director of Technology, David Carroll, to express his interest in doing play-by-play commentary before his freshman year even started. According to Carroll, Hamilton emailed him a month after graduating high school in July 2016 with tapes showcasing his skills calling athletic games.

Hamilton recalls asking Carroll how early he could start calling games at Mason and was told he could begin during his freshman year. Other universities he was considering wouldn’t allow him to start calling games on his own until sophomore or junior year, so Carroll’s answer was a welcome surprise.

“David right away saw potential in me and said, “can you actually come call two games before you even start class as a freshman?” I came up right away [because] I knew that Mason was where I wanted to be,” said Hamilton. “I felt like there was a lot of educational value at Mason, but also a lot of tangible experience I could get in my field.”

Under Carroll’s direction, Hamilton ended up calling several hundred games that aired live on ESPN+ as an on-air commentator for Student Media’s Sports Broadcasting Team. Hamilton completed his undergraduate studies in three years, earning a degree in Communication and Sports Broadcasting. He decided to stay at Mason to complete a Master’s degree as well, taking on numerous behind-the-scenes roles as a graduate assistant including on-air commentator, camera operator, technical director, and graphics operator.

After Hamilton received his Master’s degree in 2021, he stuck around the Mason community to mentor other students and help them land jobs. According to Carroll, “Zach was instrumental in helping [other students] grow as well. One of Zach’s skills is that he’s really good at is recruiting people.”

Now an award-winning professional, Hamilton spoke fondly about his time as a graduate assistant and intern, but noted that working in sports media is “not a typical 9-to-5 job” that may entail extended time away from family and friends or missing important events. That’s why he says it’s a “big deal” to build a community within the industry because the people he works with become a second family.

“I believe if you have talent, you should have that opportunity,” Hamilton said. “So I’m all about helping other people get to their journey as well.”

Photos provided by: Zach Hamilton

Student Media is proud to announce that The Forge, Mason’s only sci-fi and fantasy magazine, is the winner of multiple 2025 National Pinnacle Awards presented by the College Media Association (CMA)! Winners were announced October 15-18, 2025 at the MediaFest25 Conference in Washington, D.C.

For the second year in a row, Volition, Mason’s undergraduate literary and arts journal, was named a national finalist for the 2025 Pacemaker Award by The Associated Collegiate Press (ACP). Unofficially known as the “Student Pulitzer,” the Pacemaker is the preeminent award in student journalism.

Congratulations to both journals!

Click here to download the full press release >

The Pinnacle Awards are CMA’s flagship national honors, “recognizing the best student work in collegiate journalism, media production and organizational excellence.” A panel of experienced media professors and educators selected this year’s winners from a pool of 3,358 entries across eight categories. Open to individuals and student media outlets from across the country, the Pinnacles span a wide range of categories including writing, photography, design, multimedia storytelling, and more.

First published in spring 2019, The Forge is a sci-fi and fantasy literary journal at George Mason University that publishes short stories, flash/micro fiction, poetry, and visual artwork focused on “all things speculative.” The Forge seeks to elevate original student works that explore the many realms of speculative fiction, such as imagining new, expansive worlds, exploring aspects of futuristic technologies, and investigating the variety of ways speculative fiction can educate as well as entertain.

“There are no words to describe how happy I am that The Forge is getting the recognition it deserves. All the talented creators and hardworking staff gave their all for this issue,” said Emily Gomez-Adames, the student editor-in-chief of the award-winning 2024-2025 issue. “Leading a team for the first time was nerve-wracking, but seeing everything come together made it all worth it.”

“Winning multiple Pinnacle Awards feels incredible and I’m so proud of the team! It’s amazing to know that the hard work and care we put into the issue paid off,” said current Forge Editor-in-Chief Samantha Gerken. “By working at The Forge, I learned more about teamwork, project management, and the publication process. I’m excited to see where the publication goes in the future!”

“Well-deserved but not surprising; both editorial teams consistently create publications that are the best of the best in college media journals,” said Mason Student Media Director Kathryn Mangus.

“I am extremely proud of Mason’s student publications and was thrilled to see The Forge gain national recognition at this year’s Pinnacle Awards. I especially enjoyed hearing the student team cheer for each win during the awards ceremony,” said faculty advisor Jason Hartsel. “Each individual issue is the culmination of many hours of hard work, creativity, and hands-on learning by our talented students, and these awards will no doubt inspire future teams to leave behind their own legacy of distinction.”

According to CMA’s website, contests such as the Pinnacle Awards, “highlight the best in student journalism [and] empower students and student media organizations to elevate their work, gain national recognition, and set professional standards for storytelling, design, and multimedia innovation.” Participation “helps students build portfolios, raise their publication’s visibility, and benchmark their work alongside peer institutions. Winning entries are featured at CMA conventions, shared with the broader journalism community, and published as models of excellence.”

The Forge’s 2025 Pinnacle Awards:

• Second Place, Division I: Literary Magazine of the Year (team award)
• First Place, Division I: Literary Magazine Cover (Ann Rodriguez, Samantha Gerken, and Marian Claros Barrientos)
• Second Place, Division I: Editorial Illustration (Marian Claros Barrientos)
• Honorable Mention, Division I: Literary Magazine Spread (Kerry Bishop, Zeenat Hamidi, and Samantha Gerken)