Contact: Sammy McDavid
STARKVILLE, Miss.--Mississippi State public information professionals working in separate areas of the university are being recognized by a national education support organization for accomplishments in 2007.
MSU units recently received awards in competition sponsored by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. Their honors were presented at the organization's 2008 District III conference in Atlanta, Ga., a gathering that involved the largest-ever group of both participants and competition entries.
The honors include:
--Shared Advancement Services, which oversees communications and marketing for the MSU Alumni Association and MSU Foundation, two Award of Excellence recognitions for the foundation 2005-06 annual report and the newsletter "Foundations."
--University Relations Office, Special Merit awards for a study abroad brochure in the student recruitment publications category and for a series of "Step into the Maroon" television spots produced in conjunction with the MSU Television Center.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., CASE is recognized as the nation's leading organization for specialists in alumni relations, communications and development. With 4,200 members, District III--one of eight geographical units--includes nearly 600 Southeastern public and private institutions of higher learning, as well as independent and secondary schools, in an area stretching from Virginia to Florida to Mississippi and Kentucky.
"The 2008 District III conference for CASE was a huge success, with more than 1,300 persons in attendance," said Libba B. Andrews, associate director of the MSU Alumni Association. "We also had nearly 90 more award entries than last year."
In addition to her MSU alumni duties, Andrews is mid-way through a two-year term as District III chair. A Columbus native and 1983 MSU communication graduate, she earlier served terms as district treasurer and chair-elect.
"My association with such a prestigious organization as CASE means even more as I proudly witness campus peers receiving accolades for their creative contributions on behalf of Mississippi State," said Andrews, who joined the alumni association in 1989.
In a separate awards competition, the Shared Advancement Services unit also recently garnered additional recognitions for 2007 projects.
At a meeting of the Tuscaloosa, Ala., regional chapter of the American Advertising Federation, the unit received:
--A Gold Addy award for an alumni association membership brochure; and
--Silver Addys for the 2008 MSU Calendar and the foundation's 2005-06 annual report.
The AAF, whose headquarters also are located in Washington, is the oldest national advertising trade association. Through a network of 200 chapters representing agencies, media companies, buyers, local clubs and collegiate chapters, the organization works to protect and advance professionalism in the promotion business.
As a Gold Addy winner, MSU's Shared Advancement Services advances to AAF district competition that includes entries from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and a portion of Louisiana.
For more information about Mississippi State University, see http://www.msstate.edu/.