PR students win NCPRSA InSpire Awards top honors for fifth straight year

UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media public relations students received three awards, including two best in show awards, at the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA) InSpire Awards ceremony May 7 in Raleigh. It marks the fifth consecutive year UNC J-school students have received top student honors.

Alden Hale, Samantha Halle, Lauren Kostenberger and Rahul Rutanen-Whaley won the student best in show Silver Award for a campaign developed for the UNC Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life and Community Involvement. After quantitative and qualitative research, the team recommended the campaign “Would UNC Rather” that seeks to change the dialogue in the Greek community about risky drinking from something that is expected and attractive. The campaign was created in assistant professor Nori Comello’s fall 2013 “Public Relations Campaigns” course.

Marshéle Carter Waddell, May 2014 master’s graduate, received a Bronze Award — given for tactical pieces — in the nonprofit speech subcategory for “Building a Wall of Honor” — a speech written for her nonprofit, Hope for the Home Front, when addressing potential corporate partners and potential donors. Hope for the Home Front is dedicated to reaching and restoring women connected to combat veterans who suffers with post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury. Portions of the speech have been incorporated into radio and television interviews, including The Diane Rehm Show, CBS This Morning, The Washington Post, Huffington Post and TIME Magazine, resulting in more than 50 million combined media impressions in 2013 alone.

Students in adjunct professor Scott Misner’s fall 2013 “Public Relations Campaigns” class won a student honorable mention Silver Award for their campaign “THIS is UNC Summer School."  The comprehensive public relations and integrated marketing campaign was developed to change perceptions of UNC Summer School and increase enrollment. Summer School Dean Jan Yopp implemented the campaign in spring 2014 and said she expects it to generate attention and drive enrollment over the next year.

NCPRSA recognizes the best in North Carolina public relations with the InSpire Awards each year.