A team of University of Florida public relations students took first prize in the Public Relations Student Society of America’s 2014 Bateman Case Study Competition.

Conducted annually, the Bateman competition judges teams of college students on their ability to develop and present a comprehensive public relations campaign.

Recent public relations graduates Jessica Sheldon, Joshua Minchin, Gillian Stoney, Sophia Lee and Nicole Vassallo presented their campaign in person in Atlanta today. UF joined California State University, Long Beach; and Loyola University New Orleans in the finals.

“We are so proud of our Bateman team members, faculty adviser Deanna Pelfrey, APR, Fellow PRSA, and professional adviser Craig Dezern,” said Dean Diane McFarlin. “The Bateman campaign is the premier competition for public relations students. Their first-place finish is a testament to the team’s hard work; they represent the best of the UF College of Journalism and Communications.”

UF’s Bateman teams have a long history of competing successfully in the case study competition. The College’s team last won the competition in 2011; UF teams also won in 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2001.

First established as the National Case Study in 1973, and later renamed to honor the late Carroll J. Bateman, APR, the competition challenges teams of students to research, plan, implement and evaluate a public relations campaign for an actual client.

PRSSA received 75 entries for this year’s competition. Of these submissions, 15 entries received honorable mention and three were chosen as finalists to present their campaigns in person to Fiserv, Inc., a global provider of financial services technology solutions. Fiserv challenged Bateman teams to grow awareness and usage of a service that facilitates digital person-to-person payments. The Popmoney® personal payment service from Fiserv allows users to securely send, request and receive money from their existing bank account using just an email address or mobile number.

Posted: May 9, 2014
Category: College News, Student Awards
Tagged as: Awards, Bateman, Deanna Pelfrey