Public information staffs capture 15 awards

STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State public information professionals in separate areas of the university collected a total of 15 awards in competition with other print, broadcast and electronic communicators across the country during 2004.

Office of University Relations news, publications and photography staff members captured six awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, which includes colleges and universities in a nine-state area of the Southeast. They will be recognized during the Feb. 20-23 CASE District III conference in Atlanta.

The university's Office of Agricultural Communications won three awards from the Association for Communication Excellence's International Critique and Award Program and four awards in the statewide Public Relations Association of Mississippi's Prism Award Program.

The Mississippi State TV Center received two 2004 Communicator Awards in video competition, which recognizes outstanding work internationally.

A specific summary of the MSU awards includes:

UNIVERSITY RELATIONS

Publications

Award of Excellence--Erin Norwood, MSU Lyceum Series poster.

Special Merit Award--Erin Norwood, Megan Bean, Russ Houston and Kay Jones, "Top 10 Reasons" housing recruitment piece.

Special Merit Award--Erin Norwood, senior graphic design major Bonnie Dickerson of Gulfport, Megan Bean, Russ Houston, and the MSU Foundation, 2005 MSU Calendar.

News

Award of Excellence--Maridith Geuder, news story or series, "Medical Sociology News Series."

Award of Excellence--Phil Hearn, news story or series, "Diabetes Breathalyzer."

Award of Excellence--Phil Hearn, news and feature writing, "MSU Wood Preservation Expert Focuses on Civil War Gunboat, Southern Housing" series.

AGRICULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS

ACE Gold and Outstanding Professional Skill awards in the information technology category ("gold of the gold" award)--OAC Web team members Patsy Sykes, Rick Noffsinger and Cindy Callahan, MSUcares.com Web site.

ACE Bronze Award--Leighton Spann, audio news and features, Farmweek radio feature on red deer production in Gluckstadt, Miss.

ACE Bronze Award--Danny Gardner, interactive media program, new Master Gardener kiosk.

PRAM Prism Award--Danny Gardner, Mary Jo Wallace, Jim Lytle, Marco Nicovich, and Beth Dishongh, annual report over $2,000 category, Extension Annual Report (calendar).

PRAM Award of Excellence--Bob Ratliff, publication for an external audience (over $2,000) category, MAFES Research Highlights.

PRAM Certificate of Achievement--Bonnie Coblentz, "Summer Program Sends Students to Med School" feature article.

PRAM Certificate of Achievement--Leighton Spann production of the Farmweek television program broadcast from the 2003 Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie, Ga.

MSU TV CENTER

Communicator Awards

Award of Excellence--Producer-editor-videographer Marc Rolph and graphics specialist Ben Cook, Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program video for first-time DUI offenders titled "No Accident."

Award of Distinction--Producer Ralph Olivieri, Marc Rolph, Steve Carver, Lewis Halbert, and Tony Boutwell, MSU Foundation's "State of the Future" promotional video.