Impact 89FM named National College Audio Outlet of the Year

By: Jeremy Whiting
MSU president Kevin Guskiewicz and sports director Joe DesVergnes-Christy poses with the CMA Pinnacle Award for Audio Outlet of The Year.
Michigan State University president Kevin Guskiewicz poses with the CMA Pinnacle Award for Audio Outlet of The Year next to Impact 89FM sports director Joe DesVergnes-Christy during a broadcast of The Green and White Report on Sunday, October 26, 2025 in the Impact 89FM studios.

Impact 89FM | WDBM-FM, Michigan State University's student-run radio station and media organization, is excited to announce the entire organization as well as individual staff members were recognized for their work with national awards in the College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards as well as the College Media Association Pinnacle Awards.

The awards were presented in ceremonies at the College Media Association MediaFest in Washington, D.C. on Friday, October 17, 2025 and the College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Electronic Media Convention in Denver on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Audio Outlet of the Year
• First Place: Staff

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Best DJ Personality
• First Place: Liv Bertaud, Griffin Lantz

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Audio Public Service Announcement
• Second Place: Drew Silski, Ana Wagen, Mary-Elizabeth Williams, Paul Griesmann

CMA Pinnacle Awards: Creative Audio Performance
• Honorable Mention: Drew Silski, Paul Griesmann

CBI National Student Production Awards: Best Feature News Reporting (Audio)
• Second Place: Maco Jeleniewski

CBI National Student Production Awards: Best Audio Music Production
• Third Place: Drew Silski, Paul Griesmann

CBI National Student Production Awards: Best Promo (Audio)
• Fourth Place: Drew Silski, Oscar Henderson, Matt Merrifield, Joe DesVergnes-Christy

Impact 89FM news editor Lilly Williams, live audio director Miaomiao Zi and live music director Cooper Randall
Impact 89FM news editor Lilly Williams, live audio director Miaomiao Zi and live music director Cooper Randall accept the CMA Pinnacle Award for Audio Outlet of the Year on Friday, October 17, 2025 at the College Media Association MediaFest in Washington, D.C.

Work was broadcast in the Lansing radio market on 88.9 FM and published online through Impact
89FM's website at impact89fm.org and social media channels.

“It’s gratifying to be recognized at the national level knowing all the hard work that goes into what we do," station manager Faith Flickinger said. "We are student-run, so staff members are creating award-winning work on top of their class work, other jobs and everything else. Working at the Impact has given me invaluable experiences that I can take with me no matter which direction I go."

"I am always so proud of the great work the students do at the station," Program Director Maggie Heflin said. "Being recognized at the national level makes what we do so much more rewarding. Being student-run and such a big org, it's hard to grasp the impact we can make as a team. I'm so grateful to have this opportunity to learn along with my peers, and to be recognized nationally
makes it so much sweeter."

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