What Are CUP's NASH Conference and JHM Awards?

Updated

NASH is the annual national conference hosted by Canadian University Press (CUP) in collaboration with a member paper, and the JHM Awards are CUP's annual John H. MacDonald Excellence in Student Journalism awards presented at that conference. Both are built for student journalists at CUP member publications and are the organization's main national gathering points each year.

NASH: Canada's largest student journalism conference

CUP describes NASH as Canada's largest student journalism conference. It brings together student-journalists from across the country and is hosted by CUP together with a different member paper each year.

What happens at NASH

According to CUP, attendees can expect three things:

  • Learning from professionals — sessions with people working in the media industry.
  • Networking — meeting student-journalists from other campuses and regions.
  • The JHM Awards — the annual awards ceremony is held as part of the conference.

Who NASH is for

NASH is aimed at student-journalists, particularly those connected to CUP member papers. Because it is described as a national conference, it is the main opportunity for staff from papers in different provinces to meet in person. CUP's member publications span eight provinces — Alberta, BC, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador — so NASH is where that national network becomes concrete.

How to take part

CUP's site does not publish NASH dates, location, or registration details on the page reviewed here. The practical route is to contact CUP directly: the organization asks that inquiries about membership, fees, and member benefits go to [email protected]. If your paper is not yet a member, joining CUP is the logical first step, since conference participation is framed around the member network.

The JHM Awards

The John H. MacDonald Excellence in Student Journalism awards (JHM Awards) are CUP's annual awards recognizing excellence in student journalism. They are presented at NASH, which means the ceremony doubles as a national showcase of student work.

What to know before entering

  • Who it's for: student journalists, consistent with CUP's membership base of student newspapers at post-secondary schools.
  • When: annually, at the NASH conference.
  • How to enter: the page reviewed does not list categories, eligibility rules, deadlines, or submission instructions. Those details should be confirmed with CUP at [email protected] rather than assumed.

NASH and the JHM Awards at a glance

NASH JHM Awards
What it is National student journalism conference Excellence in student journalism awards
Run by CUP, with a member paper co-hosting each year CUP
Who it's for Student-journalists, especially from member papers Student journalists
Key activities Professional development, networking, awards ceremony Recognition of student work, presented at NASH
Frequency Annual Annual

How this fits into CUP membership

NASH and the JHM Awards sit alongside other CUP member benefits, which the organization lists as CWA membership, advocacy and outreach, legal support, pan-Canadian journalism projects, and mentorship. For a student paper deciding whether to join, the conference and awards are the most visible national activities; for an individual student journalist, they are the main way to plug into the wider Canadian student press network.

If your publication is considering membership or you want conference and awards details, email [email protected] — CUP notes it can answer questions about joining, fees suited to your publication, Slack setup for your team, and membership benefits.