Skip to main content

Baptist Communicators Association Honors Beacon Magazine


Mississippi College’s “Beacon” magazine captured three major awards at the annual meeting of the Baptist Communicators Association in San Francisco.

Founded in 1953, the BCA represents communicators with Baptist universities, state conventions, newspapers and other media nationwide.

Circulating to more than 30,000 Mississippi College alumni, parents of freshmen and friends of the Christian university, ”Beacon” awards coming in mid-April included the grand prize award or the Albert McLellan Award in the magazine division. The magazine also picked up first-place awards in the publications division for best magazine and best magazine cover.

The “Beacon’s” Spring 2014 edition included a feature story and cover spotlighting former pro wrestler Teddy DiBiase Jr. It captured his decision to leave behind World Wrestling Entertainment events and put on the full armor of God to serve others. With a passion for philanthropy, the Mississippi College graduate launched a new charity known as HopeSpot.

Staffers on the “Beacon” team include: contributing editor Marlo Kirkpatrick, designer Alecia Porch, photographer Robby Followell, and web developers Justin Garcia and Jared Walters. Others include Along College Street editor Andy Kanengiser and class notes staffers Amy Rowan, Hannah Wallace and Lisa Williams.

“Receiving this wonderful honor from the Baptist Communicators Association speaks well for the Beacon and its outstanding team that works hard every year to make this an excellent publication,” says Tracey Harrison, the magazine’s editor. “We are delighted to see the Beacon receive one of its top awards.”

The trio of BCA awards affirms our belief that the Beacon is a terrific publication that “just gets better every year,” says Harrison, the public relations director at the 5,000-student Baptist-affiliated university in Clinton.

The 51st annual awards program also gave a 2nd place honor to MC’s Thanksgiving video. The university’s on-line Beacon, a fine arts website and MC’s social media application also received awards at the BCA’s April meetings in San Francisco.

For a listing of all the BCA award winners go to http://www.baptistcommunicators.org/awards/2015.pdf