School of Communications named finalist in PRWeek Awards competition

The Elon University School of Communications will be one of five institutions of higher education recognized at the PRWeek Awards 2019 ceremony, billed as the biggest night in public relations.

The School of Communications was named a finalist in the ceremony’s Outstanding Education Program category, joining American University School of Communication, Baruch College – The City University of New York, Boston University College of Communication and DePaul University. The institutions and their contest entries were reviewed, discussed, scored and selected on Dec. 3 by a panel of 85 judges.

The PRWeek Program of the Year award recipient will be announced at the 2019 PRWeek Awards dinner and presentation on March 21 in New York City. The ceremony attracts more than 1,000 of the top agency and corporate PR professionals across the country. In addition to the awards competition, dinner and entertainment, the black-tie gala provides an opportunity for attendees to network with colleagues and peers and cultivate new relationships.

“I congratulate our faculty and staff for their hard work during the course of the 2017-18 academic year,” said Communications Dean Rochelle Ford. “Being selected in the top five in the nation is an honor in itself, and we look forward to the award’s ceremony next spring. Kudos to all of our students, faculty and staff for creating such a strong program here at Elon.”

Prior to join Elon’s School of Communications this summer, Ford served as chair of the public relations department of the SI Newhouse School of Public Communications, as well as provost faculty fellow. Under Ford’s leadership, the Newhouse School public relations department earned the PRWeek Program of the Year award two consecutive years.

Additionally, strategic communications major Rachel Hobbs ’18 was one of two finalists for the PRWeek’s Outstanding Student of the Year award last spring.