Kent State University’s Bateman Gold Team received national recognition in PRSSA’s Bateman Case Study Competition.

The Bateman Gold Team - composed of seniors Hannah Hamner, Julie Myers, Abby Prulhiere and Meghan Caprez and junior Marcus Donaldson - was one of 11 teams out of 51 that received an honorable mention in the competition.

Bateman is an annual national PRSSA challenge to create, implement and evaluate a public relations plan. Each year, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication faculty selects 10 public relations students to create two teams that participate in the invite-only competition.

This year, the Bateman Gold Team engaged students at campus-wide events through its P(L)AY UP campaign, increasing awareness and usage of its client Popmoney®, a money transferring service.

“We had a lot of fun with the P(L)AY UP campaign,” Caprez said. “Our active approach was really well-received during our research period, and we put that research to work during implementation. I think our research is what really set us apart.”

The competition gave the students a chance to utilize the skills they learn inside the classroom to create a successful campaign outside the classroom, preparing them for their careers after graduation.

“My involvement in Bateman has already proven to be beneficial,” Hamner said. “We had to actually implement a campaign with real people and a real budget, while projects in our other classes are hypothetical. Bateman gave my team and I a chance to use the skills we’ve gained throughout college to create a unique campaign that attracted national attention. I am confident my involvement with Bateman will make me stand out when applying for positions after graduation.”

This is the third time Kent State University has received national recognition in the competition. The Bateman Blue Team won second place in the 2013 competition.

“I’m really proud that we can add to the legacy the Bateman Blue Team jumpstarted last year,” Caprez said. “It’s really a testament to Kent’s PR program that we keep placing, and I have no doubt next year’s team will continue that legacy.”

Last week, the Akron Area Chapter of Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) awarded a $1,000 scholarship to Cindy Deng, a senior public relations major at Kent State University, from funds raised at its award-winning YouToo Social Media Conference.

YouToo Scholarship applicants must be full-time students majoring in public relations or communication and currently attending Kent State University, a member in good standing of the Kent State chapter of Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), and serving in some capacity to help prepare for the YouToo Social Media Conference, which is held at Kent State each April. A committee of professional judges review applications and rank candidates based on the following criteria:

·         30 percent on participation in PRSSA or other extracurricular activities

·         30 percent on overall quality of writing and presentation samples

·         20 percent on grades in the major

·         10 percent on classes taken in the major

·         10 percent on faculty recommendations

Deng’s dedication and hard work in the field of public relations has brought her many great opportunities and honors. She served as PRSSA Intercampus Liaison for the 2012-2013 school year and is currently the PRSSA president for the 2013-2014 school year. Deng was also invited to participate in the 2013 PRSSA Bateman Case Study competition where she and four other PRSSA members developed an anti-bullying campaign at a local secondary school. This February Deng was awarded the David L. Stashower-Marcus Thomas, LLC, Rising Star Internship Award by the American Advertising Federation-Cleveland Education Foundation.

In addition to her PRSSA involvement, Deng served as a mentor for the Provost’s Leadership Academy where she guided and assisted freshmen members in developing a research project they can present to the provost and then develop and implement on campus.

She has also interned at Felber PR & Marketing, a PR and marketing firm in Twinsburg and worked as a communications assistant for University Libraries at Kent State University. Deng’s interest in PR stemmed from her admiration for journalism in high school where she was a reporter and editor of an award-winning school newspaper, The Orbiter.