The Utah Valley University student public relations team received a national award for their case study in the annual National Organ Day Awareness Competition (NODAC). The award was presented at the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) national conference held in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 8.

 

UVU students competed against 50 universities nationwide for the award. For the competition, the team executed a complete public relations campaign for National Organ  Awareness Day by setting up a student-led nonprofit, Life to Life. The mission of the nonprofit was to educate and enroll students and the community in organ donation by encouraging them to learn the facts, love their life, and leave a legacy by registering to be an organ donor. The students registered more than 170 people for organ donation during the campaign.

 

“The PR case study program at UVU has been instrumental in offering students real-world experience. UVU students go into the workforce with both media relations experience as well as an understanding of working on social change issues that helps benefit their community. The PRSSA National Organ Donor Awareness Competition not only helped our students prepare for life after graduation but helped potentially save the lives of many people, adding to the Utah donor registry,” said Farah Sanders, faculty member in the UVU Communication Department.

 

Members of the UVU PRSSA team included Megan Moffit, Kate Simpson Maughan, Brianna Davis, Felisha Coltrin, and Alexia Diaz with advisers Chantelle Thompson and Sanders.

 

In the past, the UVU team has received 10 honorable mentions for their PR case study work in the PRSSA Bateman Case Study Competition, as well as 14 Golden Spike Awards through Utah PRSA (including three Best of Show Awards).

 

University Marketing &Communications

 

Scott Trotter

801-863-6807 | [email protected]

Barb Smith

801-863-5274 | [email protected]

 

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About Utah Valley University

 

At 39,931 students and growing, Utah Valley University is the largest public university in the state of Utah and one of a few in the nation offering a dual-mission model that combines the rigor and richness of a first-rate teaching university with the openness and vocational programs of a community college. UVU’s unique model, which focuses on student success, engaged learning, rigorous academic programs, and faculty-mentored research, is transforming higher education by making it more affordable and accessible to students of all backgrounds.