NMPW New Mexico Professional Communications Contest

The 2025 New Mexico Press Women Communications Contest opens for entries November 1, 2024. The state contest is the first tier in the National Federation of Press Women’s contest. Entries are submitted through the National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest portal. Please read important details below:

The New Mexico Press Women’s Communications Contest is judged at the state level. First place winners in the state level contest are eligible to move to the national level of judging. To be eligible to move to the national contest, the entrant must be a member in good standing with the National Federation of Press Women.

There are categories covering writing, editing, photography, graphic design, radio and television, web and social media, advertising, communication programs and campaigns, public relations materials, information for the media, speeches and collegiate/education.

All work must have been published or broadcast between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024, to be eligible for entry.

Entry fees for New Mexico Press Women members are $25 for the first entry and $15 for each additional entry. Nonmember fees are $30 for the first entry and $20 for each additional entry. Student fees are $10 for the first entry and $10 for each additional entry. A one time $25 late fee will be assessed to all professional contest entrants after the January 22, 2025 deadline. January 29, 2025, is the entry deadline for all books, and February 12, 2025 is the final contest deadline for all other entries.

Judging will be completed by March 12, 2025 and first place winners that want to go on to the national contest must be members of the national organization by March 17, 2025. The national judging will be completed by April 16, 2025. New Mexico Press Women will pay the additional national entry fee for one qualified entry by an NMPW member (who was a paid member by January 31, 2025); $25 national fees for additional entries by NMPW members and all entries for nonmembers must be paid by the entrant (entrants will be notified by email).

State level contest winners will be announced at the annual NMPW conference planned for March 21-22, 2025 at Isleta Hotel and Resort. For more information go to newmexicopresswomen.org.

Finalists and winners of the New Mexico Communications contests for books may order attractive foil stickers. The stickers do not have a date, so previous finalists and winners can use them. The cost is $25.00 for 100 stickers. Order stickers at our online store.

This is one of only a few nationwide communications competitions for high school students. It inspires students to do outstanding work in their quest for excellence.

Because NFPW’s state affiliate, New Mexico Press Women, is not hosting a contest, students may enter the NFPW At-Large High School Communications Contest. First-place winners of the at-large contest will receive an award certificate, an invitation to the National High School Luncheon at the NFPW National Conference, and a check for $100 per first-place entry.

All first-place entries from the national contest will move to the NFPW National High School Communications Award of Excellence where they will be judged against one another.  The student or team whose national first-place entry is judged best among all national first-place entries will receive an NFPW High School Communications Award of Excellence and an additional $250 per entry. Another $250 is be awarded to the school or program the student attends.

All contest entries must have been published, e-published, broadcast, or issued between February 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025. For more detailed information at the NFPW High School Contest web page. Final deadline for entry is February 12, 2025, at noon in the entrant’s time zone.