Students of the Walter Cronkite School won in three of the seven categories in the 2011 Zenith Awards, a nationally recognized public relations contest for undergraduates.
“I am not surprised that they did so well,” Associate Professor Xu Wu, who teaching public relations, said in an email. “(Cronkite students) are among the very best in the nation, in terms of their talent, dedication, and motivation.”
Cronkite students also placed highly in the 2011 Public Service Announcements for International Disasters (PSAid) competition, which focuses on building support for international disaster relief through print and radio.
Rachel Steingard won second place in the PSAid competition with her project, “Different Words…Same Meaning,” while Amanda Markell, Katie Johnsen, and Brian Olson’s project, “Make Your Donantion Matter,” took third place.
The Zenith Award winners this year included Erika Baggs, who won in the Public Relations Writing category for her entry, “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Works to Find Cures for Childhood Cancer.” Baggs spent the semester helping to promote a St. Jude’s event.
“I had some personal emotions riding on that piece, she said. “There was passion in my writing.”
Katie Johnsen finished first in the Case Study category for her project, “Toyota Recall Crisis,” and said the awards are an opportunity for the winners to showcase their work.
“There aren’t that many award programs for public relations students. (It is) a perfect place to display projects,” she said.
In the Public Relations Campaigns category, Callie Baumgartner, Kaetlynn Daoust, Jessica Hickam and Robyn Moore won for their “Get Curious with Intel” campaign they prepared for Intel Corp.
Associate Dean Kristin Gilger said these contests are critical because they help students gain national recognition, acquire scholarships, and build resumes.
“It’s also important for the school because it brings prestige and calls attention to how we’re doing,” she said. “It’s a way to measure and match our students against students elsewhere.”
Dean Christopher Callahan attributes the success of Cronkite students in national competitions to their extraordinary work ethic and to the commitment of their professors.
“I have found in my six years at ASU that Cronkite students are not just smart, but … truly passionate about the media professions,” he said.
Cronkite students also won three of the four categories in the 2010 Zenith Awards.
Contact the reporter at mgrichar@asu.edu
