UBC Journalism students have won four 2025 Canadian Online Publishing Awards (COPAs) for their visual journalism projects.
The awards, announced on February 12th, recognize the country’s best in digital media, from legacy newsrooms to emerging student talent.
The students won four silvers in the academic category. Two other UBC Journalism projects were finalists in the academic and the consumer media categories.
The School’s success was driven by innovative multimedia projects produced as part of its second-year Visual Journalism courses taught by professors Alfred Hermida and Uytae Lee in fall 2024 and winter 2025.
One of the winning projects, Pyar is Pyar by Chaimae Chouiekh, has already been recognized with a Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) Canada Best Canadian Local News Award and a Canada West Region award. The multimedia piece explored the intersection of faith, love, and LGBTQ+ identity in Surrey’s South Asian community
In 2024, students won four COPAs awards, while students and faculty took home five in 2023.
The COPAs recognize excellence in digital journalism. The winners for 2025 were announced on February 12 in Toronto.
COPA winners
Academic Division
Category: Best Feature/Cover Story (silver)
Pyar is Pyar by Chaimae Chouiekh
Category: Best Photo Journalism (silver)
Food without borders by Bismah Mughal
Category: Best Multicultural Story (silver)
She Speaks in Power by Katrianna Skulsky
Best Patriotic Story (silver)
A Taste of Home by Jasmine Ng
2025 COPA finalists
Academic division
Category: Best Feel Good Story
Vancouver’s Food Rescue Service by Tia Sacks
Consumer division
Category: Best Video Content
Tobi Akinkunmi: Surging Forward by Ashrit Vaidya & Ian French
