Communicators Lauded at Statewide Conference

Staff recognized for newswriting, design and creative partnership

Sarah Sapp (left), communications specialist for the UM School of Applied Sciences, accepts her first-place award in the senior division news story category at the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s annual conference. Photo courtesy Holmes Community College Communications

OXFORD, Miss. – Communications officers from the University of Mississippi’s School of Applied Sciences and Division of Outreach and Continuing Education were recognized at the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s annual conference and awards ceremony for outstanding writing, design and creative partnership.

Sarah Sapp, communications specialist for the School of Applied Sciences, won first place in the senior division news story category for her story, “UM Students and Faculty Help Children Develop to their Potential.” Sapp also brought home first-place accolades in the admissions and recruitment piece category for the School of Applied Sciences’ departmental program handouts.

The Division of Outreach brought home awards in the single piece of artwork and creative partners categories. Anna Sayre, web developer and senior graphic designer, won second place for her StudyUSA design, while Pam Starling, assistant director of creative services and marketing, and Kris Zediker, web developer and senior graphic designer, brought home second for their Two-Plus-Two Grenada marketing project with Holmes Community College.

Starling was nominated to represent Ole Miss on the CPRAM board of directors for the 2018-19 academic year.

Twelve Mississippi four-year colleges and universities competed, submitting more than 100 entries to the competition.

Pam Starling (left), assistant director of creative services and marketing for the UM Division of Outreach and Continuing Education, accepts a second-place award in the creative partners category at the College Public Relations Association of Mississippi’s annual conference. Photo courtesy Holmes Community College Communications

Robin Street, UM senior lecturer in journalism, presented the opening conference session about the Meek School of Journalism and New Media‘s internal public relations campaign, “It’s all about (Me)ek.”

Ole Miss alumni representing colleges and universities from across the state met with Street following the presentation. The group included Donna Thomas of Itawamba Community College; Julie Bauer of Northwest Mississippi Community College; Steve Diffey, Barin von Foregger and Mary Margaret Busby of Holmes Community College; Natalie Davis of Copiah-Lincoln Community College; Nell Luter Floyd of Millsaps College; and Cathy Hayden of Hinds Community College.

For more information about the conference, visit http://www.cpram.ms.