Aggie Journalists Claim Top Honors at 2026 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Awards

Ian Curtis ‘27 and Adriano Espinosa ‘26 from Texas A&M’s student-run newspaper, The Battalion, recently took home the highest accolades from the 2026 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association (TIPA) Awards, earning Journalist and Photojournalist of the Year.

During their tenure at “The Batt,” Curtis and Espinosa have brought many epic Aggie stories to life in both print and digital media. From the behind-the-scenes of Aggie athletics, including the Aggie Women’s Volleyball team’s path to the 2025 NCAA tournament victory, to solemn moments at Aggie Muster, the pair captured the heart of the students and traditions at Texas A&M. They covered well-loved community events like Troubadour Fest, and photographed visiting dignitaries and government officials along the way.

Through every byline and frame, Curtis and Espinosa exemplified the depth of reporting possible by student media. Nominated by their peers and adviser, Sara Gonzales, associate director of Student Media, these two Aggies represent student journalism at its highest quality, displaying servant leadership and an unwavering commitment to visual and written storytelling across every corner of Aggieland.

Adding to The Battalion’s long and decorated list of state and national media and press awards, these latest major TIPA award wins underscore the reason why Aggies like Curtis and Espinosa participate in student organizations. Where else can students interested in journalism, regardless of their major, get hands-on experience to continue the legacy of a 130-year-old newspaper?

As a student-run newspaper, Aggies are responsible for all aspects of The Battalion, from reporting and design to distribution and marketing. Known for its rigorous journalistic standards, The Battalion trains Aggies to steward the stories of Texas A&M with the resources and guidance that help them hone invaluable skills. Through an Aggie experience like no other, these students discover their own voices in the newsroom, and their time in college is forever shaped by the stories they get to tell and the connections they make along the way.

Ian Curtis: Journalist of the Year

Major: Journalism, Class of 2027
Hometown: College Station, TX

“Ian writes with passion, grit, and perseverance in telling the stories that matter. As editor-in-chief of The Battalion, he sought out niche stories within the Bryan/College Station community and traveled the lengths of the country to tell them. He never shied away from difficult stories, always taking a firm stance in the freedom of the press. Through his drive as an innovative storyteller, forward thinker, and steadfast writer, Ian’s voice has come alive and he has grown in both writing skills and leadership during his time at the Battalion.”

– Sara Gonzales, associate director of Student Media

Adriano Espinosa: Photojournalist of the Year

Major: Industrial Distribution, Class of 2026; MBA Candidate, Class of 2027
Hometown: Kingwood, TX

“Adriano Espinosa’s love for photography shows in everything he does, and he has a unique gift to be able to bring people into a moment. Stepping into the Photo Chief role mid-semester under pressure, he never looked back and was on a plane to Denver to cover the Aggies’ at the NCAA Basketball tournament by 8 a.m. on his very first day. From there, he built a photo desk culture from the ground up, hosting weekly meetings, bringing in professional photographers, and personally mentoring staffers on the sidelines at events. He ensured coverage was never missed near or far, all while juggling a demanding engineering curriculum. Adriano would be reviewing print photos at 8 a.m. the morning after production while simultaneously studying fluid power transmission and industrial automation.”

– Sara Gonzales, associate director of Student Media

Inside the Newsroom: Q&A

Curtis and Espinosa each took very different paths to The Battalion. Curtis knew before he ever set foot on campus that journalism was his calling, having already worked at local news outlets growing up in College Station, while Espinosa nervously honed his craft in Photography Club his freshman year before he even dared to apply. Yet despite where they started, both arrived at the same destination: an award-winning body of work, a sense of belonging, and a sense of awe and purpose found through their own expanded horizons.

Learn more about Curtis and Espinosa’s journeys with The Battalion, what drives them to be involved, and what winning TIPA Journalist and Photojournalist of the Year means to them.

Q: What was your first reaction when you found out you won the TIPA award?

Espinosa: To be frank, I was surprised. I woke up to a Slack message from our advisor, Sara, and thought something was up. When I came to read the notification, I was shocked to find I had won Photojournalist of the Year. Given that previous photo chiefs, who I’d argue are worlds more talented than me, hadn’t won the award, I’d thrown away any notion that I could win, especially given just how many excellent student photographers there are in Texas.

Curtis: At first, I was really surprised. I had seen the work of previous winners, and since the award is usually given to reporters with a news-heavy portfolio, I figured that pattern would hold. I felt proud knowing that my work and the work of The Battalion was respected on a state and national level.

Q: When did you join the Battalion? What inspired you to get involved?

Espinosa: As I got more into photography through the course of high school, I wanted to apply myself as a photographer in a meaningful way. Looking towards college, The Battalion was an avenue I’d heard a lot about, and upon touring campus and attending my New Student Conference, I began to see The Batt everywhere. Nervous that I wasn’t good enough, I spent a year waiting to apply, honing my skills in the Texas A&M Photography Club. Applying after my freshman year, I saw a ping on my portfolio website. After sending a nervous follow-up email, my prospective boss offered me an interview, saying that she was on a safari in South Africa when she saw my portfolio. Within two minutes of my interview beginning, I was offered a position, and I’ve been here since.

Curtis: I joined The Battalion when I arrived on campus at the start of my freshman year. Growing up in College Station, I was already familiar with the folks at The Battalion and had already worked for The Bryan-College Station Eagle and WTAW. I knew I could get involved with The Battalion quickly if I chose to go to Texas A&M and that played a role in my college decision.

Q: Was there a pivotal moment for you at The Batt where you knew you were in the right place at Texas A&M?

Espinosa: It took a while, but I knew what I was doing mattered when I covered a beep baseball team in Bryan. An iteration of baseball for visually impaired kids, I went and took photos of a team practice, learning how everything beeps at different frequencies to indicate locations to the players, who all wear black visors regardless of visual impairment. What really got me was how excited the kids were that I was there and how much it meant to them, even if some of them literally couldn’t see my work. Learning about their world firsthand, a hobby that they cherish deeply, and their passion for sharing those things with students really shook me. Sharing that joy through photos of beep baseball is what made me realize what I was doing mattered, and that I was in the right place.

Curtis: There wasn’t a single pivotal moment, but by the time I felt comfortable covering major events like the NCAA Tournament and felt comfortable at those press conferences, I knew I belonged alongside the professionals in the industry.

Q: How has being a part of The Batt shaped your own Aggie experience? What have you learned or gained that would not have happened otherwise?

Espinosa: I think being a part of The Battalion has given me a perspective on Aggieland, and the happenings here that most people don’t get to see. More than anything, being in The Batt has brought me closer to the stories everyone hears about, but few people live. Whether it be the walk-on scoring a touchdown or a family crying as their fallen relative is memorialized, being with The Batt puts me right in the middle of it, and as a result, much of what I cover feels more personal. Through those moments, combined with my time as Photo Chief, I’ve learned a lot about people. Mentoring over a dozen pre-existing photographers and hiring over a dozen more during my tenure, ranging from fresh high school grads with just a few college football game coverages under their belt to 40-year-old veterans coming back to finish their degrees, I’ve learned how to lead different people. People think differently based on their life experience and finding out how to empower them to produce good work and grow in those opportunities has not only been deeply fulfilling to me but also educational. I’ve learned that’s the apex of a career I want to pursue: empowering others to be their best selves in a productive system for society, and this revelation largely occurred because of The Battalion.

Curtis: The Battalion has pretty much been my entire Aggie experience. I’ve practically lived in the newsroom, for better or worse, and it’s been a huge honor to be able to tell stories from a very eventful time in Texas A&M’s history. It’s also been an incredible learning opportunity. In journalism, the work you do and the clips that you have are the most important things when it comes to hiring. With that in mind, it’s been fantastic to not only produce a portfolio but also learn the ins and outs of the industry firsthand. The practical part of my journalism education has come through The Batt.

Q: What has been the most unexpected connection or learning experience you’ve had at The Batt?

Espinosa: Weirdly, I’ve learned to like some country music through my work here by covering Chilifest and Troubadour Fest, which are events I initially covered reluctantly as someone who prefers other music genres and quieter weekends. Going through those experiences, taking some awesome photos, and also hearing days’ worth of country music, I found that I actually enjoy some of the music Texas is known for. Growing up here with immigrant parents, I never really understood country music, but being at Texas A&M and covering local music festivals for The Battalion has given me a greater appreciation for country music and its themes.

Curtis: I think the coolest thing for me has been the sheer scale of the events I’ve been able to cover and the people I’ve been able to meet. I’ve been able to network with dozens of people in the journalism industry, and that’s been incredibly valuable for my career. It’s always so much fun to be at an event out of state and have a former student come up to me and notice that I write for The Battalion and comment on their experience at The Batt.

When I look back now at the variety of things I’ve been able to do, I’m just extremely grateful that I was able to find a place where I can expand my horizons and build an elite portfolio that will set me up for the rest of my career.

Q: Is journalism a professional career aspiration for you? Please share more about how being a part of The Batt supports your personal and professional development.

Espinosa: Although I am decidedly pursuing engineering, with a career aspiration in operations for manufacturing or distribution, I can see a world where I moonlight as a photographer. Outside of journalism, my time at The Battalion has helped me grow in some interesting ways. Looking towards some of my coursework, I can say it has for sure helped my ability to ask guiding questions when trying to outline problems and identify solutions. It has already had a big impact on my capstone project, for example. As an inherently curious person, learning from writers and captioning on assignments has empowered me as a leader and engineer who has a passion for solving problems.

Curtis: I want to pursue a full-time career in journalism. In journalism, you learn far more from actually doing the work than you do sitting in a classroom. Most of what I’ve learned about journalism while at Texas A&M has come from my time at The Battalion. Having the opportunity to work for, and run, a news outlet has given me an incredible education in the journalism field, in addition to allowing me to grow closer to an amazing group of people I will forever call my friends.

Q: What is your favorite memory from your time at The Batt?

Espinosa: My favorite memory at The Batt was at the Aggie football game against Notre Dame last fall. I got the privilege of covering field-side photography, and I happened to be on the side of the field where Nate Boerkircher made the game-winning touchdown reception. I remember how scared I was when KC Concepcion ran to the opposite side of the field, and a dozen photographers followed him, leaving me with just a few other photographers watching Nate line up ahead of us. Having tried the same play in the same scheme with KC and Theo earlier in the drive, I was unsure if Marcel would try it again with a different player, but I trusted my gut. When he made that catch just a few feet away from me, and I got the photo, it was breathtaking. I was overwhelmed, both as a fan of Aggie football and as a photographer who managed to get the shot, the moment of the night, on a hunch and a lot of luck.

Curtis: One of my favorite memories at The Batt was getting to cover the entirety of Texas A&M’s volleyball 2025 postseason run, which culminated in the Aggies’ first national championship. I was the only media member to cover every match in person from the SEC Tournament in Savannah, Ga., to the NCAA Tournament at Reed Arena in Lincoln, Neb., and the Final Four in Kansas City. I paid part of my own way to those events out of pocket, and wrote a total of 14 stories, including some for The Bryan-College Station Eagle when I was in Kansas City because they could not send a reporter to the Final Four due to a scheduling conflict.

I really enjoyed getting to cover the entire run. And being one of the only local media members to put the spotlight on an under-covered program was something that showed the importance of student journalism.

Q: What encouragement do you have for fellow Aggies on pursuing their passions at Texas A&M?

Espinosa: I think Texas A&M is a big enough place to find your home, explore your passions, but also make some mistakes along the way. Through the first 18 months of college, I switched what major I wanted twice, only to land in another major that I learned fit me best. From freshman to sophomore year, I dropped an org, was rejected from returning to another, and picked up two new ones. Those changes hit fast, but only through those stumbles did I find my home at places like The Batt. A part of me wishes I had applied a year sooner and done everything right the first time, but when I finally joined the photo desk and found my footing, it meant more because I was ready, and I was hungry. The time has flown by since, and I wouldn’t change a thing. Living through the highs and lows without regret has allowed me to live my college experience, academics and passions alike, to the fullest.

Curtis: You have to get started as fast as you can, especially in an industry like journalism, where graduating with a degree just isn’t enough anymore. Get involved in a student organization like student media, go get internships, go freelance or go find a part-time job. If you want to make it, you have to work your tail off before you graduate.

Ian Curtis’ Winning Articles:

1. “Texas A&M Volleyball Shocks Nebraska to Advance to First-Ever NCAA Tournament Semifinals” Ian Curtis, December 15, 2025
2.  “Three Years After Russia’s Invasion, A&M’s Ukrainian Club Presses On” Ian Curts, February 20, 2025
3.  “Taylor-Made History: A&M Takes Down No. 1 Auburn” Ian Curtis, March 5, 2025
4. “It Takes a Village: The Making of Henry Coleman III” Ian Curtis, March 19, 2025
5.  “Inside Revived SEC Volleyball Tournament’s Bid to Be ‘Premier Volleyball Event Nationally‘” Ian Curtis, December 3, 2025

Adriano Espinosa’s Winning Photos: