Elon University's Bateman Team has been selected as one of three national finalists in this year's Public Relations Student Society of America's Bateman Case Study Competition.
This marks the second time in five years Elon has made it to the finals and the fifth consecutive year the university has been recognized in the nationwide contest, which annually showcases the work of public relations students around the country.
The Elon team includes strategic communications students Annie Hellweg, Molly Cox, Elizabeth Moy and Alex Harrington. The team’s faculty adviser is Communications associate department chair Dr. Frances Ward-Johnson, APR, and the professional adviser is Gwyn Walcoff, APR, of Chesapeake Communications Group.
Elon’s team will travel to New York May 13 to compete against Bateman teams from the University of Florida and Loyola University New Orleans.
“The students have done an outstanding job this year,” Ward-Johnson said. “Their hard work has paid off and is being recognized by a prestigious team of public relations professionals.”
Bateman is a national case study competition established by the Public Relations Society of America in 1973 to give university students an opportunity to exercise the analytical skills and mature judgment required for public relations problem solving.
“We couldn’t be more excited about going to the final round,” said Cox, a senior. “Bateman has been my most rewarding college experience. I learned so much about communications and public relations by applying it in a meaningful way. Through our campaign, we were able to give back to the community and help those who really needed it.”
The 2011 Bateman competition client was Ally Financial, one of the largest financial companies in the world, and the contest challenged teams to build brand awareness and to expand outreach for the company’s financial literacy program.
Forty-nine teams from universities across the country entered the 2011 contest.
Only three teams were selected to present their campaigns to Ally Financial executives, and they will contend for the top three spots.
Elon students will pitch their “Better Luck With Your Buck” financial literacy campaign, which was aimed at Elon students and Burlington, N.C., residents to show them how to manage better their personal finances.
“We’re proud of the work we’ve done and we’re looking forward to having the opportunity to share it with Ally Financial and individuals from the public relations community,” said Hellweg, also a senior.