Hubbard Honors

On September 24, 2025, the Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication hosted Hubbard Honors, an alumni engagement and philanthropic event bringing together distinguished alumni, dedicated faculty, bright students and valued community members at the McNamara Center. It was an evening dedicated to celebrating those who are forging new paths and inspiring others along the way within the fields of journalism and strategic communication.

Giving the keynote address was Aaron Blake (BA ’05), a CNN Senior Reporter based in Washington, D.C. Blake’s cross-platform reporting and analysis covers a range of political topics including President Trump, Congress, and the federal government. Blake joined CNN after more than a decade at The Washington Post, where he most recently served as a Senior Reporter. As one of The Post’s most read authors, his sharp political coverage drove consistent engagement from audiences across platforms. He also hosted a weekly politics podcast. Prior to joining The Washington Post, Blake was a staff writer for The Hill. Blake is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and Minnesota native, and his insights are sure to be a highlight of the night. 

Honoring our Awardees

The Hubbard School is proud to announce this year's alumni award winners across three categories:

Above the Fold

Above the Fold Awards recognize a cohort of recent graduates who are already making an impact in their field:

Nicole Miller –  Director of Media Strategy and Planning, Doner

Hannah Faiad (Ockelmann)– Senior Manager, Account Management - Best Buy Creative

Mara Keller – Group Social Director, Fallon

Tiffany Luong – Associate Digital Media Director, Fallon

Tanner Uselmann – Associate Creative Director, Fallon

Brittany Travis – Account Director, MONO

Mark Vancleave – Video Journalist, The Associated Press

Shannon Murphy – Creative Director, MONO

CJ Sinner – Director of Graphics & Data Visuals, Star Tribune

Cydney Strommen – VP of Brand Marketing, Cambria

Pathfinder Award 

The Hubbard School Pathfinder Awards recognize established alumni leaders in their professions who have carved a path of creative excellence, leadership and community-mindedness:

Carolyn Ahlstrom – SVP, Group Brand Strategy Director at Colle McVoy

Gloria Delgadillo – Sr. Director, Target

Lou Raguse – Reporter, KARE 11

Jenni Pinkley – Former Director of Video/Audio Initiatives, Star Tribune

Award for Excellence 

The 2025 Hubbard School Award for Excellence, our most prestigious award, goes to alumna Deborah Hopp. Deb just retired from her role as President of MSPC, the award-winning content marketing agency of MSP Communications. MSP also publishes Mpls.St.Paul and TWIN CITIES Business, media platforms she ran previously. A native of Cloquet, Minnesota, she is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Journalism where she was on staff at the Minnesota Daily. She has served in leadership positions on a long list of volunteer boards which include the Walker Art Center, University of Minnesota Foundation, Minnesota Orchestra Association, Minnesota Children’s Museum, United Way of the Twin Cities, Minnesota Women’s Economic RoundTable, Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valley, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, University of Minnesota Alumni Association, WomenWinning, HealthPartners, Park Nicollet Health Services Accountable Care Organization and the Minneapolis Downtown Council. Deb has served on the board of directors of three public companies and currently serves on the boards of Lakewood Cemetery and Bachman’s and is a Life Trustee of the University of Minnesota Foundation. Her grown daughters are also marketing executives, one here in the Twin Cities and the other in Los Angeles.

Burt Cohen Innovation Fund

Beyond the celebration of excellence, Hubbard Honors also serves as a crucial philanthropic event for our school. This year, we are focused on endowing the Burt Cohen Innovation Fund. This vital fund is designed to support innovative programming, enrich student experiences, and foster projects that truly reflect the same fun-loving and forward-thinking spirit that Burt Cohen championed throughout his remarkable life. Burt was a powerhouse: an incredible friend, mentor and benefactor of the Hubbard School. Burt believed passionately in the importance of journalism and believed that investments of time, talent and treasure in young journalists would pay dividends in the long run, especially at a time when the media landscape is evolving so rapidly. The Burt Cohen Innovation Fund will honor the gregarious goodwill that Burt exemplified from his early days on campus at Murphy Hall on through his entire illustrious career, and giving will support opportunities to cultivate old-fashioned, in-person community connections among students and faculty at the Hubbard School as well as within our greater communication industry in the Twin Cities.

This event is made possible by generous partnerships with the following:

Hubbard Broadcasting • The Minnesota Star Tribune • KNOCK • Padilla • Brew: Creative Media • Target • Fast Horse